Saharan dust plume drifts over Caribbean, Florida and Texas, lowering air quality

A broad Saharan dust plume is moving westward across the Atlantic, bringing high concentrations to Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The National Weather Service warned of hazy skies, reduced visibility and deteriorated air quality through late Friday, urging people with respiratory conditions, children and older adults to limit outdoor exposure.

The dry air mass is expected to reach South Florida late Saturday and spread into the Gulf Coast, with the dust entering Southeast Texas by Sunday and persisting through Tuesday. Forecasts call for hazy conditions, vivid sunsets and hot temperatures, while the dust suppresses thunderstorm development and lowers the likelihood of tropical cyclone formation in the Atlantic for the next seven days. Health advisories highlight increased risk for sensitive groups across the affected regions.