With Saharan dust dominating skies islandwide, the Jamaica Meteorological Service is advising today (May 20) that there will be no refuge from the thick plume of dry air well into next week.

The Met Service, in its Friday morning bulletin, said that the Saharan dust, in conjunction with a low-level jet stream, will produce hazy and windy conditions across Jamaica, particularly in southern parishes.

As a result, visibility and overall air quality will be significantly reduced over much of the island. Jamaicans afflicted by respiratory illnesses such as asthma or debilitated by COVID-19 are being encouraged to wear face masks to limit exposure or stay indoors where possible. Citizens are also urged to cover outdoor water storage containers as the dust can negatively impact water quality.

“Both features are expected to remain across the region until Monday when a trough enters the central Caribbean,” the local weather watchdog indicated.

Satellite imagery tracking the Saharan Air Layer (SAL) shows a thicker than usual dust plume stretching from the open tropical Atlantic Ocean in the far east to the fringes of the Gulf of Mexico.

The maximum temperature expected in major cities, Kingston and Montego Bay respectively, is 31 degrees Celcius.

See more in the Jamaica Met Office’s town/city forecast:

Additionally, the small craft warning activated by the Met Service remains in effect for inshore areas and offshore the south coast, and offshore areas of the north coast due to strong winds and rough seas. Fisherfolk and marine interests are urged to exercise caution in Jamaica’s territorial waters.

For more, see three-day outlook:

Saturday/Sunday: Mainly sunny, windy and hazy.
Monday: Isolated afternoon showers across western parishes.

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