NEWS BRIEF: Sahara Desert dust causing hazy skies over Georgia
Vibrant, orange glow isn’t your imagination
Photo credit: CIMSS
An imposing cloud of Saharan Desert dust that spent a week crossing the Atlantic is settling over the southeast and is creating hazy skies over Georgia. It was first detected from space by the GOES-16 satellite which also measured the density of the dust.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reports the dust is known to form over the Sahara Desert and Shale regions of North Africa during the late spring, summer and early fall, creating a layer of dry air that can span 2.5 miles in width. The formations typically sit about a mile above the surface, NOAA says, and can travel and impact locations thousands of miles away from its African origins. Details: macon.com