Shreveport, Louisiana – Skies across northwest Louisiana could take on a hazy glow tonight as Saharan dust from Africa’s desert begins drifting into the region, potentially lasting through midweek.
According to the National Weather Service in Shreveport, light concentrations of the Saharan Air Layer (SAL) are expected to arrive by late Sunday evening. The dry, dusty air mass typically peaks between mid-June and early August, traveling thousands of miles across the Atlantic. While air quality impacts are expected to be minimal, residents may notice milky skies during the day and unusually vibrant colors at sunrise and sunset due to sunlight scattering through dust particles.
The effect may be most noticeable across areas including Shreveport, Bossier City, and Monroe. Visibility could drop slightly at times, particularly during early morning or late evening hours. People with respiratory sensitivities may want to limit prolonged outdoor activity, especially during peak dust presence.
This light dust event may also have a silver lining—SAL events are known to help suppress tropical storm development in the Atlantic basin, which could provide temporary relief during hurricane season.
Dust concentrations should begin to fade by Wednesday, though additional SAL intrusions are possible in the coming weeks.
