2017 Atlantic Discussion Thread #2

What is the story with Saharan dust this year?

Any models trying to spin anything up from this stalled frontal boundary.

Btw....in the Caribbean presently (heading north) and about 100-120miles off of the coast of Belize now....windy as HELL and very rough seas.

Both the 06z GFS and 06z (and 00z) Parallel GFS are trying to spinup the next two waves (one that just emerged from the coast and one yet to) but they're so close together they seem to Fujiwhara?

Also worth noting the very healthy vorticity signature for the wave yet to leave Africa on the 00z Euro, with a closed low approaching the Caribbean at 240 hours.

Edit: It seems the Euro actually merges the vorticity of both waves.

Looks like some nice Saharan Dust will be visiting the northern gulf coast starting late tomorrow into the weekend.

Yes...SAL is the Saharan Air Layer (or dust in the air from the Sahara Desert)

Has SAL been much of a factor so far this year?

Thanks NDG. Just adds to the idea of an interesting season.