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The\u00a0Suomi NPP\u00a0satellite acquired this image of a plume of Saharan dust as winds lofted it over the Atlantic Ocean on Aug. 24, 2024.<\/p>\n
The Sahara Desert is Earth\u2019s largest source of airborne dust, and the particles can travel for thousands of miles. From late spring to early fall, it is common for the dry, dusty\u00a0Saharan Air Layer\u00a0to carry the particles westward\u00a0across the Atlantic Ocean high in the atmosphere. Saharan Air Layer activity subsides after mid-August,\u00a0according to NOAA, making it less likely that the plume shown here is bound for a transoceanic journey. Instead, it arcs to the north after blowing out over the ocean. Earlier in the summer, however, several clouds of fine dust from the Sahara\u00a0reached the United States, creating\u00a0hazy skies\u00a0over Texas.<\/p>\n
Read more about Saharan dust and why it\u2019s interesting to scientists.<\/p>\n
Text Credit: Lindsey Doermann<\/em><\/p>\n