The Saharan Dust (SD) is a phenomenon that annually transports dust particles over the Mexican coasts of the Gulf of Mexico. This article analyzes its transport in the summer of 2020 and its effects on air quality. The methodology considered backward trajectories with HYSPLIT, meteorological information from the National Meteorological Service and the National Commission of Water (CONAGUA, Spanish acronym), satellite images, and air quality information from the SINAICA database (SINAICA, Spanish acronym). A combination of mesoscale cyclonic and turbulent systems in the Gulf of Mexico and the north of the country was found. The transport phenomenon occurred over states in the Gulf of Mexico, reaching as far as the state of Nuevo Leon. The HYSPLIT analysis confirmed a trajectory from Africa, with winds from 3000 to 5000 m AGL over Africa and descending to 50 m AGL in Mexico. Air quality stations of Yucatan, Veracruz, and Nuevo Leon show increases in particle concentrations, reaching values around 50 μg/m3. The PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations evaluated contributed to effects on air quality, generating quality indices from poor to extremely poor according to concentrations recorded and analyzed at stations in the state of Veracruz. In future research, it is planned to analyze SD using elemental analysis techniques and its impact on human health.
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