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AUSTIN (KXAN) — The effects of the incoming Saharan dust have already reached Austin, with more to come.
What is Saharan dust and when do we see it?
From the late spring through the early fall months, dust storms pick up various minerals and small particles from the ground in the Sahara Desert, and when they lift into the air, they form a dusty air mass.
According to the National Weather Service, During the peak period of late June through mid-August, a Saharan Air Layer (SAL) can materialize every 3-5 days and be transported across the Atlantic Ocean by African Easterly Waves. These dust plumes are most likely to reach Texas during the peak period, when they travel farther west into the Caribbean and the Gulf…