Dust plume to reach WNC mountains?

Jason Sandford

Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.

1

Updated, 4 p.m.: Bryan Luhn shares a pic of the dust “invading the Smokies already.”

Meteorologists are calling for something odd: A dust plume causing haze and a dirty sky is headed for the WNC mountains this afternoon.

A special weather statement from the National Weather Service and the Red Cross of the Western Carolinas (link here):

A DUST PLUME MAY SPREAD OVER THE WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA MOUNTAINS LATE THIS AFTERNOON…

STRONG WINDS OVER THE CENTRAL PLAINS YESTERDAY KICKED UP A LARGE PLUME OF DUST. CIRCULATION AROUND LOW PRESSURE CENTERED OVER THE SOUTHERN GREAT LAKES HAS PUSHED THE DUST PLUME EASTWARD TODAY.

AT 245 PM…HIGH RESOLUTION SATELLITE IMAGES INDICATED THAT THE LEADING EDGE OF THE DUST PLUME REACHED THE WESTERN SLOPES OF THE SOUTHERN APPALACHIAN
MOUNTAINS…AND SOUTHWEST ACROSS NOTHERN GEORGIA AND ALABAMA.

THE DUST PLUME WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE EAST…RESULTING IN HAZY CONDITIONS ACROSS THE NORTH CAROLINA MOUNTAINS. A FEW AREAS COULD SEE VISIBILITY LIMITED TO A FEW MILES AT TIMES.

Counties that may be affected include:
Avery
Buncombe
Graham
Haywood
Macon
Madison
Mitchell
Northern Jackson
Swain
Yancey

WCNC meteorologist Brad Panovich’s Facebook page is a great place for updates. More technical info here for weather geeks.