Petion-ville, May 30, 2026.- A new wave of dust from the Sahara continues its progression through the Atlantic Ocean towards the Caribbean. According to the forecasting models, the concentration of particulate matter could increase over Haiti in the middle of next week, especially Wednesday and Thursday, with significant effects on air quality, visibility and regional weather conditions.
This phenomenon is associated with the Saharan Air Layer (SAL), a hot, dry, dust-laden air mass over North Africa. Each year, between May and October, several episodes of Saharan dust cross the Atlantic before reaching the Caribbean, sometimes giving the sky a whitish or greyish appearance and considerably reducing visibility in several countries of the region.
According to forecasts, the current wave of LFS following a tropical wave on the Atlantic could lead to an increase in dust concentration in the atmosphere. This may increase air pollution and further damage air quality, especially for people with asthma, allergies, sinusitis or other respiratory diseases.
Experts recommend that the population, including children, the elderly and respiratoryally vulnerable, limit extended outdoor activities when dust levels are high. It is also advisable to properly moisturize and follow the bulletins published by the Hydrometeorological Unit of Haiti (UHM) and civil protection.
The situation could become more pronounced in the middle of the week. A more dense SAL wave continues to follow the tropical wave and could bring more dust into the atmosphere, resulting in reduced visibility as well as greater degradation of air quality in Haiti and several Caribbean territories.
Although Saharan dust can sometimes hinder the development of certain tropical systems due to dry air transport, it can also affect public health, the environment and transport activities when their concentration becomes significant, according to forecasters. This phenomenon is closely monitored in the context of the 2026 cyclonic season, while the experts monitor the evolution of atmospheric conditions in the Atlantic basin.
Quetya AUBIN
