Thick dust drifted across the Sahara this weekend, sparking all sorts of questions online about “dirty rain.”
The term may refer to rain falling through this layer of dust and is a colloquial phrase.
“Dirty rain” is simply rain that falls through suspended dust in the atmosphere from Africa.
Rain moving through the Saharan air layer can make cars dirty, but more importantly, these outbreaks, whether it rains or not, often create minor air quality issues.
People with respiratory problems may be affected by the most frequent events.
Generally, dense air over the Saharan region suppresses widespread development of afternoon thunderstorms and limits development in the tropics.
The recent outbreak proves this.
June and July are the peak months for Saharan air events in South Florida.
This weekend, Saturday and Sunday afternoons will be sunny with minimal shower and thunderstorm activity.
Unlike acid rain, which has a pH value nearly 10 times higher than normal raindrops, “dirty rain” is simply rainwater that falls through a layer of dust.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency studied acid rain in the 1980s, helping to significantly reduce emissions of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides that affect vegetation, soil, buildings and other exterior structures.
While these brief bursts of dust and occasional showers may prove “dirty” or inconvenient, it does not prove to be a health hazard to society.
