When Can We Expect Saharan Dust to Hit Louisiana?

It's still amazing to me that dust from the Saharan Desert in Africa travels 5,000 plus miles through the air to invade Louisiana. It's kind of wild to think about, but it happens pretty much every year. According to NOAA, more than 180 million tons of dust leaves Africa annually and travels the globe.

On one hand, it's pretty incredible that the sands of a desert a world away is pretty amazing. Plus, it makes some pretty amazing sunsets. On the other hand, it causes all sorts of respiratory issues that suck for a lot of people (myself included). And to add insult to injury, the dust cloud tends to make hot weather even more miserable.

With that said, at this point, it's almost inevitable that we'll be visited by this massive cloud of dust. So, the real question is when will it get here?

When Will the Saharan Dust Cloud Hit Louisiana in 2024?

The short answer is that it's sort of unpredictable. There multiple factors that determine when the cloud will arrive stateside...but, typically, it arrives between June and August (hurricane season seems to suck the cloud in our direction).

However, it seems like the dust cloud is getting around a little earlier this year. A couple of weeks ago, the cloud turned Athens Greece into what the New York Post described as an 'eerie Martian landscape'.

Currently, the Saharan Dust is invading the Caribbean. According to those reports, the massive dust cloud is expected to impact the environment down there for the next week or so.

But, with that said, the cloud is on our side of the globe a bit early. I couldn't find any reports on where the sand cloud is expected to head to next. I guess it really depends on wind patterns and all that. But, hurricane season is kicking up. The 180 million ton dust cloud is on our side of the world, so I would guess the arrival of the cloud is coming relatively soon - late May or early June.

Is the Saharan Dust Harmful to Louisiana Residents?

Will breathing in Saharan Dust probably won't kill you, it can still cause some issues. It can trigger breathing issues like Asthma, COPD, and other respiratory infections. It also can irritate the skin, eyes and other things it comes in contact with.

As a whole, here's the people who are the highest risk of being negatively impacted:

• Children and babies
• Older adults
• People with underlying lung conditions
• People with chronic cardiopulmonary diseases

Basically, if you fall under any of those categories, it might be best to stay indoors or participate in outdoor activities that don't require you to breathe heavily.