A cloud of fine dust fell on the Caribbean. Since Saturday, Guadeloupe and Martinique have been affected by an episode of sand mist, with high concentrations of these particles, which make the air difficult to breathe for certain vulnerable people.
🛰️ View from space || The Caribbean arc has seen its air quality deteriorate for several days. Indeed, a massive transport of sand has been set up between Africa and America. Fine dust is uprooted by strong winds blowing over the Sahara Desert. pic.twitter.com/WbXX1uMqs7
- Météo-France (@meteofrance) June 22, 2020As Météo France notes, this is a "classic phenomenon", but it is nevertheless "rare to see such large concentrations reaching the Caribbean Sea and reaching the Mexican coasts". This cloud from West Africa was transported to the Caribbean, by trade winds crossing the Atlantic Ocean.
A red alert
“A massive transport of sand has taken place between Africa and America. Fine dust is uprooted by strong winds blowing over the Sahara desert ", notes Météo France, which deplores that" the Caribbean arc has seen its air quality deteriorate for several days ". Consequence: the ATMO index, which is the air quality index, is classified in red (from bad to very bad) in Guadeloupe and Martinique.
The Gwadair institute stresses that this episode of sand mists "has intensified since Monday" and deplores a exceedance of "the alert threshold of 80 micrograms per cubic meter" of fine particles. In Basse-Terre, Monday, a threshold of 258 micrograms per cubic meter was found, and 245 micrograms in Pointe-Ă -Pitre.
MadininAir, responsible for studying air quality in Martinique, even extended this red alert for Wednesday. It is particularly recommended that the most vulnerable people go out as little as possible, avoid intensive physical activities indoors and outdoors.
