Cayman: Volcanic Ash and Sahara Dust Threat – UPDATE – Alert issued for Dust
UPDATE:-Sahara Dust Plume Alert in the Cayman Islands
The Cayman Islands National Weather Service has advised that the Sahara dust plume now stretching across the Caribbean will move across the Cayman Islands over the next 24 hours.
The Public Health Department is advising the public that over the next 24 hours these conditions could increase symptoms in persons with asthma, and other respiratory illnesses due to the elevated dust and particulate matter concentrations. Those persons are advised to stay inside as much as possible or to wear masks if they must go outside.
For additional weather information please visit www.weather.gov.ky.
For any health concerns please call your doctor or Public Health at 244.2648.
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Orinal published story
The Cayman Islands National Weather Service has been made aware of a statement saying that the Cayman Islands will experience Sahara Dust and Volcanic Ash today.
The Weather Service has been monitoring the situation with regards to both the Sahara Dust and the Volcanic Ash and at this time we can say that we are tracking no Volcanic Ash clouds approaching the Cayman Islands. The latest Official Volcanic Ash message at 8:03 a.m. this morning speaks only of ash clouds in the far eastern Caribbean. To date on this matter the furthest west any ash cloud has moved is to Curacao in the south-central Caribbean.
The weather service will continue to monitor this situation and inform the public of any threat.
With regards to the Sahara Dust, the latest Sahara Dust tracking by the Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology through its product have indicated that a surge of Sahara dust will move across the Cayman Islands today as seen below. Please note that this product does not indicate the elevation where the Sahara dust is located and generally the Cayman Islands from time to time will be impacted by Sahara dust but for the most part the dust particles is usually suspended high in the atmosphere and not at the surface where it might produce breathing issues. Citizens with any respiratory issues should exercise caution.