● LIVE PLUME STATUS · UPDATED 14:00 AST

The Saharan Air Layer is crossing the Atlantic.

Every summer, a river of mineral dust lifts off the Sahara and rides the trade winds 5,000 miles to the Caribbean and the United States. We track it — hour by hour.

TRANSPORT CORRIDOR · ATLANTIC BASIN

LEAD EDGE
42.1°W

ETA CARIB.
~2 DAYS

PEAK DUST
96

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Current Conditions

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FLORIDA, US

Miami

41LOW

µg/m³ surface dust

CUBA

Havana

47LOW

µg/m³ surface dust

JAMAICA

Kingston

35LOW

µg/m³ surface dust

DOM. REP.

Santo Domingo

3LOW

µg/m³ surface dust

PUERTO RICO

San Juan

1LOW

µg/m³ surface dust

BARBADOS

Bridgetown

30LOW

µg/m³ surface dust

SOURCE: OPEN-METEO SURFACE DUST · NASA · COPERNICUS · TODAY

The 5,000-Mile Journey

From the dunes of West Africa to the haze over Miami — how a cloud of mineral dust crosses an ocean.

STEP 01

🏜️

Lift-off

Strong winds over the Sahara loft mineral dust 1–4 miles into the atmosphere, forming the Saharan Air Layer.

STEP 02

🌬️

Trade winds

A hot, dry, dust-laden air mass rides easterly trade winds out over the tropical Atlantic.

STEP 03

🏝️

Caribbean haze

After 5–7 days the plume reaches the Lesser Antilles, hazing skies and raising particulate levels.

STEP 04

🌅

US arrival

Remnants drift into Florida, the Gulf Coast and Texas — vivid sunsets, and reduced air quality.

Latest Updates

LIVE

14:00 AST · FORECAST

Moderate plume to reach Lesser Antilles within 48 hours

Model guidance brings the densest dust over Barbados and Martinique by Thursday morning, with AQI values near 100.

09:30 AST · OBSERVED

Satellite confirms 1,200-mile dust band off West Africa

GOES-East imagery shows a well-defined Saharan Air Layer streaming westward at roughly 25 mph.

YESTERDAY · HEALTH

Sensitive groups advised to limit outdoor exposure

Caribbean health authorities issue precautionary guidance as PM10 climbs across the eastern islands.

2 DAYS AGO · SCIENCE

Why this dust quietly suppresses hurricane formation

The dry, stable Saharan Air Layer robs tropical systems of the moisture they need to organize.

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