A plume of Saharan dust would inch closer to St Vincent and the Grenadines late Sunday 13 February, becoming thick by Monday 14.
“The tiny dust particles contained in the plume will cause eye, nose and throat irritation for anyone who comes in their path, but particularly for allergy and asthma sufferers,” said allergist Dr J. Allen Meadows, president of the American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology.
These tips may help you weather the health risks of the Saharan plume.
- Keep track of weather reports that provide information on air quality. Stay inside in air conditioning if conditions worsen.
- Wear a face mask outside. It can help keep dust particles out of the nose and mouth (and, of course, help prevent transmission of COVID-19, as well).
- Stick with your medication regimen to keep allergy and asthma symptoms under control, and your breathing regulated.
- Keep calm. Stress can make asthma and allergies harder to manage, boosting the risk of flare-ups. Stress can also increase the duration and severity of symptoms.
- Talk to an allergist if your symptoms get worse due to the Saharan plume.
The Saharan Air Layer, also known as Saharan Dust, is made of sand, dirt, and other dust that is lifted into the atmosphere from the vast desert area that covers most of North Africa.
In addition – A weak south-westward moving shearline would continue to generate occasionally cloudy skies and trigger a few showers across our islands(especially over the Grenadines) for the remainder of Friday.
Low-level clouds moving along the trades could allow for some showers as Saturday progresses while early morning showers are likely for Sunday and Monday.
Strong(near 40km/h) east to east northeasterly trades are currently crossing our islands and could become fresh(~35km/h) from Saturday. Wind speeds could further decrease(20-30km/h) on Monday.
Seas are moderate to rough in open waters with swells peaking up to 1.5 on western coasts and ranging between 2.5m to 3.0m on eastern coasts.
Small craft operators and sea bathers should continue to exercise caution for above normal sea swells and gusty winds. Slight to moderate conditions could return on Sunday.
