Misery for many as Saharan dust descends on T&T
The Trinidad and Tobago Meteorological Service (TTMS) is advising people with respiratory problems to take necessary precautions because of a thick layer of Saharan dust in the atmosphere.
According to the TTMS, Trinidad and Tobago will experience hazy conditions over the next 48 hours.
“People can brace for the ‘tail end’ of the Saharan dust by Tuesday evening into Wednesday,” said Piarco meteorologist Bhagwandeen Ramdatt.
Ramdatt also said it is not concentrated in any particular area of the country.
Saharan dust is an extremely hot, dry and dust-laden layer of air that originates over the Sahara Desert of North Africa, where it extends from the surface upwards to several kilometres. It is fed by strong low- to mid-level easterly winds over the desert, which pull sand and dust particles into the atmosphere.
This is where the dust haze really emanates from. This layer of dusty, very dry and warm air is pushed westward by the easterly winds and, on reaching the west African coast or eastern Atlantic Ocean, it rides over the cooler, more moist surface air of the Atlantic Ocean, forming what is called an atmospheric inversion layer or boundary: with warm, dry air aloft and cooler, moist air below.
According to the TTMS, Trinidad and Tobago will experience hazy conditions over the next 48 hours.
“People can brace for the ‘tail end’ of the Saharan dust by Tuesday evening into Wednesday,” said Piarco meteorologist Bhagwandeen Ramdatt.
Ramdatt also said it is not concentrated in any particular area of the country.
Saharan dust is an extremely hot, dry and dust-laden layer of air that originates over the Sahara Desert of North Africa, where it extends from the surface upwards to several kilometres. It is fed by strong low- to mid-level easterly winds over the desert, which pull sand and dust particles into the atmosphere.
This is where the dust haze really emanates from. This layer of dusty, very dry and warm air is pushed westward by the easterly winds and, on reaching the west African coast or eastern Atlantic Ocean, it rides over the cooler, more moist surface air of the Atlantic Ocean, forming what is called an atmospheric inversion layer or boundary: with warm, dry air aloft and cooler, moist air below.
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