Better Brace Yourself Texas, Here Comes the Sahara Dust

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Stocked up on allergy meds yet? You might need them this weekend!

Everyone with allergies needs to read this. And if you're an allergy sufferer in the Crossroads ( and I mean, come on, who isn't??)  you won't be surprised to hear what's headed our way.

Hazy skies and beautiful sunsets... oh ya and lots of allergy meds are ahead this weekend.

These aren't your average dust bunnies!

If you have a dust allergy, it's about to get real. Dust clouds from the Sahara Desert are headed to Texas, again. We say 'again' because when it comes to weather events, this phenomenon happens at about the same time every year. These dust clouds happen when trade winds send plumes of dust across the Atlantic and into the Gulf of Mexico.

When can we expect during this year's dust cloud layers?

According to weather reports, like this one from CBS19, this year's dust plume is especially thick, so thick satellites can track it better than ever ( well it's thick AND technology continues to advance), and according to the most recent reports, East Texas will get the brunt of it when it hits the Texas coast Sunday.

Not to poke too much fun, but what's ahead for Texas reminds me of the 'ashes' scene in the Big Lebowski.

How much dust are we talking about?

Oh, it's crazy! Check this out, according to Lung.org, last year's storm contained “182 million tons of dust from the western Sahara, enough to fill 689,290 semi-trucks.”

What's the good news?

Outside of the fact that these dust clouds help suppress tropical development, the clouds create beautiful sunsets as the dust particles refract sunlight offering allergy suffers an apology of gorgeous reds, pinks and purples along the horizon.

Want to learn more about the Saharah dust later?

Check out this great video from Weather Nation which explains Saharah dust in detail.

Well, at least most of us still have masks we can use!