CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Residents in South Texas may notice some haze in the area over the next few days as the air quality is being impacted by agricultural burns and a plume of Saharan dust.
Officials with the City of Corpus Christi said the area is experiencing increased particle pollution due to seasonal burning activities in Mexico and Central America.
Fine particulate levels are forecasted to reach the lower end of the "Moderate" range Tuesday in parts of the Brownsville-McAllen, Corpus Christi, and Victoria areas, but it depends on the intensity and coverage of the lingering smoke and incoming residual smoke.
A plume of Saharan Dust is also expected to move into the Gulf this weekend, with noticeable impacts Sunday through Monday, further impacting the air quality in the area, officials said. Saharan dust is associated with an air mass of very dry air filled with desert dust that forms annually over the Sahara Desert during late spring, summer, and early fall.
The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) recommends residents susceptible to particle pollution consider reducing their activity levels or shortening the amount of time spent active outdoors throughout the remainder of the week. The dust also can lead to symptoms that resemble allergies, but it's important to note that this is not an allergen; it's an irritant.
Allergy medicines may not be effective if you have symptoms because of the dust.
City officials said they will continue to monitor the air quality as conditions warrant.
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