GREENSBORO, N.C. — You've likely heard or seen a lot of chatter about a dust cloud that is heading toward the U.S. this week. It actually isn't anything new, and is very common too.
WFMY News 2's Christian Morgan said, "This time, in particular the dust content of the air is going to be very high as it reaches our area but there's still no reason or need to panic, but folks with breathing or respiratory issues should pay attention."
Officially called the "Saharan Air Layer" this dusty, sandy, dry air from the Sahara Desert routinely moves off the coast of Africa as winds blow from the East.
During the warmer season, meteorologists routinely analyze the concentration of this dusty air as it moves across the Atlantic because it can act to reduce tropical storm formation temporarily, by lowering water temperatures and increasing wind shear over the ocean.