This year, the dust plume is so opaque, thick and large that it is clearly visible from space.
According to the National Weather Service (NWS), the 5,600 km long cloud travelled 8,047 kms from North Africa before making its downfall over the region stretching from Florida west into Texas, and north into North Carolina through Arkansas.
And, this weekend the massive dust plume will hover over the Southeast US. Experts say the that this year, the dust is the densest it has been in almost half a century.
Concerned over bad air quality and the risk of COVID-19, Gregory Wellenius, a professor of environmental health at Boston University’s School of Public Health said:
There’s emerging evidence of potential interactions between air pollution and the risk of COVID, so at this stage, we are concerned.
That’s not all though. The massive cloud of dust will also cause hazy skies and lower visibility for the next few days.
Twitter has had enough of this eventful year.
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Godzilla Dust Cloud? Mother Earth is angry. Can’t blame her.
— Mary (@gbpf127) June 26, 2020
They named the dust cloud the Godzilla Dust Cloud. So all those jokes about Godzilla coming next sort of happen. 2020 is some shit. pic.twitter.com/etLKBQV4BM
— Jason DeMasi (@JDeMasi91) June 26, 2020
i am afraid to see what is next
— One Planet (@OnePlanet11) June 25, 2020
Can the end of days not be far away! Signs like all over. What next a plague of locusts😉
— P.K.s PowerfromSpace 🚀 (@powerfromspace1) June 24, 2020
Damn, I had aliens down for July.
— ⇨VALENTINE (@chronicliar) June 23, 2020
The combination of bad air quality and the risk of COVID-19 can lead to weakened respiratory systems. Keeping the current situation in mind, officials have requested residents in the impacted areas to avoid stepping outside their homes.