A dust plume that traveled nearly 6,000 miles across the Atlantic Ocean from the Saharan desert is settling over Texas and Oklahoma today, and it’s arriving at the worst possible time as temperatures across the region soar into triple digits.
Dallas is sitting at 100 degrees this afternoon, with Austin close behind at 98, while Lubbock and Amarillo register 97 and 93 degrees respectively. Oklahoma City is at 95 degrees, and the heat extends further east with Little Rock at 93 and Baton Rouge at 93 degrees.
Unlike a ground-level haboob that kicks up blinding walls of dust, this plume is riding in the upper atmosphere, meaning residents won’t see a wall of dust rolling toward them. Instead, skies across the region will take on a milky, hazy appearance through the afternoon, with some areas showing a brownish or orange tint during the morning and evening hours…