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Five-day Saharan dust outlook for the tri-island state.
Not yet available from GMS
The dust outlook will appear here once GMS publishes it.
| Level | What you notice | Who is affected |
|---|---|---|
| Light | Slight haze on the horizon | Nobody, generally |
| Moderate | Milky sky, hazy distance, muted sunset colours | Asthma and respiratory conditions |
| Heavy | Visibility clearly reduced, dust settling on surfaces | Respiratory and cardiovascular conditions, children, older adults |
| Very heavy | Marked haze, sun dimmed at midday | Everyone; sensitive groups significantly |
Between roughly May and September, strong winds lift mineral dust from the Sahara into the Saharan Air Layer — a dry, dusty mass of air that crosses the Atlantic in five to seven days and arrives over the Eastern Caribbean.
The same air layer that carries the dust is dry and stable, which suppresses shower activity and can weaken developing tropical systems. A heavy dust episode often brings quieter weather with it.
Health guidance during a dust episode is on the health and weather page.