June 27, 2009 – Hazy skies in the still summer air for the last few days are the result of the migration of Saharan dust across the Atlantic Ocean from Africa. .
Storms in the Sahara Desert and accompanying hot air cause the mineral dust to rise, and prevailing westerly trade winds then carry it across the Atlantic to the tropics and sub tropics of Florida and the Caribbean.
The Department of Planning and Natural Resources issued an advisory Friday afternoon suggesting that while the dust hangs over the territory, residents should protect their cistern water by removing down spout connections and drink only bottled water until the dust moves out of the area.
The dust moved in Thursday night, the release from DPNR said, and is expected to continue to hang in the skies above the Virgin Islands though the weekend.
Saharan dust storms pass through the region several times a year, but mainly in the spring and throughout the summer months.
The current wind direction is from the southeast at 10 to 12 miles per hour.
For more information go to www.nasa.gov or weather.noaa.gov/weather/current/ITST.html