A plume of Saharan dust is sweeping across Texas, spreading a milky haze over South-Central Texas before expanding north into Central Texas and the Dallas–Fort Worth Metroplex by late today into Tuesday.
The dust plume on Monday, June 29, is tied to a broader Saharan Air Layer outbreak over the western Gulf that is expected to persist into Tuesday, June 30. Satellite imagery shows a more concentrated band of elevated dust already moving onshore. While the strongest concentrations are expected to remain farther south, the plume is forecast to spread across much of Texas as it gradually weakens.
In South-Central Texas, the dust is riding in the mid-levels of the atmosphere near 5,000 to 6,000 feet, with potential for some downward mixing during peak daytime heating, according to the National Weather Service in Austin-San Antonio. That could result in a slightly muted sky and a softer, hazier sun angle through the afternoon, though surface visibility impacts should remain limited. The most noticeable effect will likely be a loss of sky clarity rather than any tangible air quality issues at ground level.
As the plume pushes north, it will become more diffuse, but still capable of coloring the sky. North and Central Texas, including the Dallas-Fort Worth area, are more likely to see dust expressed as optics rather than haze — with sunsets and sunrises taking on deeper oranges and reds as sunlight scatters through suspended particles. Any impacts will be subtle but visually noticeable, especially around peak twilight hours.
The dust begins to thin further by Tuesday, June 30, as it lifts out of the region and mixes with returning Gulf moisture. Hot conditions will persist across Texas, with highs near or above seasonal norms, but skies should gradually clear from south to north as the Saharan plume disperses.
The dust plume on Monday, June 29, is tied to a broader Saharan Air Layer outbreak over the western Gulf that is expected to persist into Tuesday, June 30. Satellite imagery shows a more concentrated band of elevated dust already moving onshore. While the strongest concentrations are expected to remain farther south, the plume is forecast to spread across much of Texas as it gradually weakens.
In South-Central Texas, the dust is riding in the mid-levels of the atmosphere near 5,000 to 6,000 feet, with potential for some downward mixing during peak daytime heating, according to the National Weather Service in Austin-San Antonio. That could result in a slightly muted sky and a softer, hazier sun angle through the afternoon, though surface visibility impacts should remain limited. The most noticeable effect will likely be a loss of sky clarity rather than any tangible air quality issues at ground level.
As the plume pushes north, it will become more diffuse, but still capable of coloring the sky. North and Central Texas, including the Dallas-Fort Worth area, are more likely to see dust expressed as optics rather than haze — with sunsets and sunrises taking on deeper oranges and reds as sunlight scatters through suspended particles. Any impacts will be subtle but visually noticeable, especially around peak twilight hours.
The dust begins to thin further by Tuesday, June 30, as it lifts out of the region and mixes with returning Gulf moisture. Hot conditions will persist across Texas, with highs near or above seasonal norms, but skies should gradually clear from south to north as the Saharan plume disperses.
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