African dust to create haze over Florida

A large plume of Saharan dust sweeping across the Atlantic may provide a break from the furious hurricane action of the past week. But it’s unlikely to last long.

The dry, dusty air will arrive in South Florida this weekend, creating hazy conditions, according to the National Weather Service in Miami. The air could suppress hurricane formation across the Atlantic, a welcome development after a week that produced the second hurricane of the 2021 season and is expected to produce the third. Hurricane Grace struck Mexico on Thursday and Hurricane Henri is expected to form Friday and pose a threat to the northeastern United States.

Hurricanes and tropical storms thrive on humid air, which spins upward and forms the immense cloud structures that give them their characteristic whirling shape. Dry air impedes that upward movement.

The National Hurricane Center is currently watching one region of stormy weather off the African coast for possible development into a tropical cyclone, a rotating storm system that could range in strength from tropical depression to hurricane. The stormy area is given low chance of becoming a cyclone.

But the peak of hurricane season has begun, and forecasters expect more storms.

Dennis Feltgen, spokesman for the hurricane center, said the Saharan may restrain storm development along the traditional corridor of the tropical Atlantic but storms could pop up closer to North America.

“There is a large area of Saharan dust in the tropical Atlantic waters right now that may temper development there,” he said. “But that does not rule out development in the Caribbean or the Gulf of Mexico. We are in the peak of the season now, and development can take place anywhere.”

The dry air is likely to arrive in South Florida Saturday and remain at least through Sunday, said Paxton Fell, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service.

“It’s a pretty expansive plume of dust,” she said.

The dry air’s arrival could lead to a couple of quick thunderstorms on its leading edge, she said, then the area will settle in for some hot, rainfree days.