July 30, 2001 – As Virgin Islanders awoke Monday morning they were greeted by a layer of gritty dust covering cars, decks, pools, patio furniture and other flat surfaces outside their homes. Radio One meteorologist Alan Archer said the dust was carried on the winds from Africa and was brought down to earth with Sunday's heavy rains.
Archer said it is not unusual for the dust to ride "a couple thousand feet" above the ground all the way from the African continent.
"The rain brings the dust to the ground,"
Archer said. "The larger the tropical wave the more dust you'll get."
And there is more to come. Another tropical wave moving across the Atlantic is expected to bring weather similar to Sunday's rains and heavy winds to the territory by Wednesday. Archer said it was likely the new wave will again leave behind a layer of dust.
