It's Baaaack: African Saharan Dust Returns To Texas (Updated)

CENTRAL TEXAS — SAL is back in town, and many people aren't happy about it. And intense, record-breaking heat this week will only add to the misery index.

The aforementioned SAL is an acronym for Saharan Air Layer, as a second round of African Saharan dust has descended to Texas this week, having arriving on Sunday. For those susceptible to allergies, the dust will act as an irritant. Those with respiratory ailments — people with asthma, those sensitive to allergens, the very young and the elderly with forming or compromised immune systems — might want to don a surgical mask when outdoors or limit their times outside their homes.

Forecasters initially said the dust from the Sahara desert that floated across the Atlantic will likely hang out through the first half of the week. But by Tuesday, another plume was detected merging into the larger one this week, meaning the dust likely won't dissipate until right before this coming weekend.

This won't be fun for those with breathing issues. Those sensitive to allergies should limit their time outdoors as the dust is heavy, as evidenced by the haziness of the sky.

The dust is largely benign as it makes its annual summer trek to Texas. But those with allergies are most affected by its presence, resulting in congestion and cold-like symptoms. In late June, the first wave of Saharan dust descended on Central Texas, affecting many with allergy-like symptoms.

The dust will be here in high concentrations through the early part of the week. It's not unusual each summer for the African dust to arrive over Texas, but this year's plume is especially large, forecasters said.

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Normally, hundreds of millions of tons of dust are picked up from the deserts of Africa and blown across the Atlantic Ocean each year, EarthSky reports. While the dust helps build beaches in the Caribbean and fertilize soils in the Amazon, it affects air quality in North and South America, according to the site. Moreover, it likely plays a role in the suppression of hurricanes and the decline of coral reefs as well, EarthSky reported.

Intense heat this week, coupled with the dust, will add to the misery index. One scientist said the combo affecting the air quality "...will be like experiencing the desert itself."

Given those conditions, residents are advised to hydrate by drinking plenty of water, particularly when active outdoors. Those with respiratory ailments such as asthma might consider donning surgical-like masks if spending significant time outdoors.

If all this isn't enough to give you pause, consider this: The Saharan dust itself is made up of the “skeletons” of diatoms — micro-organisms that trace their origin back to when the Bodele depression was full of water — USA Today reported. These diatoms are picked up by winds that are naturally accelerated through a gap in the mountains upwind of the depression, according to the report.

The one saving grace as we struggled to breathe and braced ourselves for coughing and sneezing fits was the interesting sunsets resulting from the presence of the dust, as the light from the sun mixing with the particles for an interesting aesthetic interplay.

Sunset on Sunday was 8:34 p.m. if you want to check it out. For the sunset hours for the remainder of the week, click here. If your area gets a particularly interesting sunset as a result of the Saharan dust, drop us a photo! We'll share it here. Include your name and location.

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>>> Clouds took on an ominous look in a mid-June sunset when African Saharan dust invaded Austin and the rest of Central Texas, as illustrated by this scene in the West Campus area. Photos by Tony Cantú/Patch staff.