Why is the sky so hazy? Blame the Sahara

The Saharan Dust has blown into the metroplex, turning the North Texas sky smoky.

FTW-fort-worth-skyline-hazy-dust

The dusty air makes for an especially spooky Summerween skyline.

Photo courtesy of Juan R. Hernandez

Cue Toto’s “Africa.” The annual wave of Saharan Dust has blown over 7,000 miles on tropical gusts to Fort Worth, turning the clear Texas skies to a murky haze that looks like smoke.

How does this happen?

First postulated in 1972, the Saharan air layer is an extremely hot and dry layer of the atmosphere that sits on top of the humid surface air over the Atlantic. It can carry over 60 million tons of dust annually to the Western Hemisphere.

While not overtly harmful, the increased levels of particulate matter in the dust can irritate people who have preexisting allergies, asthma, or respiratory concerns.

Weather eye on the horizon

On Wednesday, temperatures are supposed to peak with with a heat index value of 107 degrees in some parts of North Texas, but a cool front expected later this week.

With highs in the low 90s, there is a chance of scattered rain throughout the rest of the week and weekend — thank goodness. See what’s predicted for the rest of the summer.

“The ceiling fan is so nice.”

We know you’re craving some fresh air but bookmark these indoor activities to stay out of the heat and rain.

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