‘Code orange’ air warning issued for North Carolina due to Saharan dust cloud
The Saharan dust cloud prompted an air quality warning across North Carolina on Sunday.
The entire state is under a “Code Orange” air quality warning — meaning the air is “unhealthy for sensitive groups,” according to the North Carolina Department of Environmental and Natural Resources.
The National Weather Service has issued an Air Quality Alert for the state that will be in effect until midnight.
“Fine particulates” may reach unhealthy levels, and those with respiratory or heart issues, older adults and children should “reduce prolonged or heavy outdoor exertion,” the weather service says.
The Saharan Air Layer formed in Africa before traveling across the Atlantic Ocean to the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico, McClatchy News previously reported. It’s expected to blanket North Carolina before leaving by Tuesday. The dust cloud is expected to bring hazy skies and intense sunsets.
But it can also cause “unhealthy breathing conditions” in some areas.
The dust can irritate the eyes and respiratory system and aggravate chronic heart or lung conditions, the National Weather Service says.
Those with asthma, emphysema and other chronic breathing conditions are the most likely to experience health impacts, Dr. Matthew Bruehl, pediatric pulmonologist at WakeMed in Raleigh, told McClatchy News last week.
Those with underlying conditions may want to stay inside with closed windows and doors, Bruehl told McClatchy.
Monday’s forecast calls for “code yellow,” or moderate, air quality, according to the North Carolina Air Quality Forecast Center.
This story was originally published June 28, 2020 at 12:20 PM with the headline "‘Code orange’ air warning issued for North Carolina due to Saharan dust cloud."
