Dust from the Sahara Desert rolled into Galveston County in June, and it’s here to stay for July, experts say.
Besides causing vibrant sunsets, the dust dirties the air and can aggravate symptoms for people with allergies and asthma.
Clear skies should prevail for most of the Independence Day holiday on Friday, but things might get hazy in the evening when a dust plume is expected to blow in, Cameron Batiste, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service’s Houston/Galveston Forecast Office, said.
Dr. Julia Tripple, medical director of the University of Texas Medical Branch’s adult allergy and immunology clinics, said she sees more asthma patients with worsening symptoms when the plumes blow in.
“For patients who have underlying lung conditions, like asthma, it can trigger an acute exacerbation of asthma,” Tripple said. “That typically looks like coughing, wheezing, chest tightness, shortness of breath.”
Tripple recommends staying inside when air quality is down and using a face mask or air filter to help curb inhalation of the dust.
The dust moves from the Sahara Desert off of Africa’s west coast and over the Atlantic Ocean to the Gulf, resulting in plumes that hover over the southern United States whenever winds blow the dust north. Each plume hangs over Galveston County for a few days, Batiste said.
The dusty phenomenon has happened every summer, usually through June and July, for as long as the United States has measured air quality, Stan Blazyk, weatherman at The Daily News, said.
While the plumes can make a sunny sky gray, they help ward off hurricanes. The particles absorb humidity, making it more difficult for hurricanes to form in the Gulf, Batiste said.
The current air quality is moderate, only affecting those who are particularly sensitive to air pollution, and the Houston/Galveston Forecast Office expects it to stay that way this week, Batiste said.
Galveston Daily News Article: Dr. Julia Tripple