Saharan dust storms can cause increased allergy reactions and respiratory problems in citizens, particularly those with pre-existing conditions such as asthma and allergies.

Saharan dust storms can cause increased allergy reactions, respiratory issues, and diseases in citizens, particularly those with pre-existing conditions such as asthma and allergies.

Saharan dust storms can cause health issues such as increased allergy reactions, respiratory diseases, and skin problems due to the pollutants and pathogens carried by the dust.

Saharan dust storms can cause health issues such as increased allergy reactions, respiratory diseases, allergies, and skin problems, particularly for people with pre-existing conditions like asthma and respiratory issues.

Saharan dust storms can cause increased respiratory problems, allergies, and diseases in citizens, particularly those with pre-existing respiratory issues.

Saharan dust storms can worsen respiratory issues like asthma due to the harmful bacteria and fungi they carry.

"Saharan dust storms can exacerbate respiratory disorders, asthma, and other respiratory issues due to the dust carrying pollutants and pathogens that affect air quality and public health."

Saharan dust storms can exacerbate respiratory disorders, including asthma, due to the presence of pollutants and allergens in the dust.

"Saharan dust storms can exacerbate respiratory disorders, asthma, and other respiratory issues, highlighting the need for surveillance and global health preparedness."

Saharan dust storms can exacerbate respiratory disorders, asthma, and other respiratory issues by triggering allergy symptoms.

"International cooperation and expansion of reserves may be appropriate responses to mitigate dust storms, which can have significant impacts on ecosystems and human health, including increased respiratory issues and decreased air quality."

"Mongolia is one of the countries most affected by global climate change, and the incidence of sandstorms is on the rise, but international cooperation and expansion of reserves might help mitigate the issue."

"To prepare for the health impacts of Saharan dust storms, global health monitoring and the use of particle-retaining masks are necessary, as the dust can cause increased respiratory issues, allergies, and diseases."

"To prepare for the health impacts of Saharan dust storms, global health monitoring and particle-retaining masks are necessary due to the potential for increased respiratory problems, allergies, and diseases."

Preparation for the health impacts of Saharan dust storms involves taking precautions such as wearing particle-retaining masks, especially for individuals with respiratory disorders, and engaging in global health monitoring to track the storm's effects on public health.

Saharan dust storms can have a negative impact on air conditions by carrying pollutants and potential pathogens, leading to air pollution.

Saharan dust storms can introduce microbes and elements into the air, potentially leading to air pollution.

Saharan dust storms can have a negative impact on air conditions by carrying pollutants and pathogens that can affect air quality and public health.

Saharan dust storms can have a negative impact on air conditions by carrying pollutants and microbes that can affect human health, contributing to air pollution.

Saharan dust storms can have a negative impact on air conditions, contributing to air pollution and causing issues such as hazy skies and allergies.

The Saharan dust cloud is carried over the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea by trade winds, which transport 180 million tons of dust from the Saharan Desert every year.

The Saharan dust cloud is carried over the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea by trade winds.

Saharan dust storms can negatively impact air quality and public health in local ecosystems by carrying harmful bacteria and fungi that can cause allergies and other health effects.

"Saharan dust storms can negatively affect air quality and public health in local ecosystems by carrying pathogens known to cause disease in humans."

Saharan dust storms can negatively affect air quality and public health in local ecosystems by carrying pollutants and pathogens.

Saharan dust storms can negatively affect air quality and public health in local ecosystems by carrying microbes that can affect human health.

Saharan dust storms can negatively affect air quality and public health in local ecosystems, causing issues such as hazy skies and allergies.

Saharan dust storms can cause hazy skies and minor allergy-like symptoms in Texas due to the pollutants and potential pathogens they carry.

Saharan dust storms can cause hazy skies and minor allergy-like symptoms in Texas.

Saharan dust storms can cause minor allergy-like symptoms and hazy skies in Texas.

Saharan dust storms can cause health effects in Texas, including hazy skies and minor allergy-like symptoms, due to the presence of pollutants and potential pathogens in the dust.

Saharan dust storms can cause hazy skies and minor allergy-like symptoms, such as dry cough and sneezing, especially in people with asthma or other lung conditions.

The annual amount of dust crossing the Atlantic Ocean is approximately 182 million tons, which plays a significant role in the Earth's climate system.

The amount of dust that crosses the Atlantic Ocean annually is estimated to be more than 180 million tons, according to NOAA.

The forecast for the area of interest over the next five days indicates a low chance of development due to the expected continuation of limited activity in the Atlantic basin.

"The area of interest off the coast of Africa has a low chance of development over the next five days, indicating a potential lull in tropical activity."

The area of interest is expected to have a low chance of tropical development over the next five days due to the presence of Saharan dust.

"A tropical wave in the Caribbean has a low chance of development over the next five days, with a 20% chance of formation."

"The Saharan dust storm is expected to have a low chance of development into a tropical storm over the next five days, due to the dry conditions in the Atlantic caused by the Saharan Air Layer."

Saharan dust storms can cause temperature fluctuations by reflecting sunlight back into space and cooling the Earth's surface.

Saharan dust storms can cause temperature fluctuations, with expected rising temperatures in the affected areas.

Saharan dust storms can cause temperature fluctuations, as seen in Cuba where a cloud of dust from the Sahara arrived, followed by high temperatures.

"To prepare for Saharan dust storms, individuals should take precautions, especially those with respiratory disorders, by wearing masks to minimize the risk of allergy symptoms and other health issues."

Individuals can prepare for Saharan dust storms by taking necessary precautions to minimize their exposure to the dust, especially if they have respiratory problems.

The Saharan Air Layer reduces thunderstorm activity, which is evident from its role in suppressing hurricane development.

The Saharan Air Layer reduces thunderstorm activity by limiting hurricane development and strength due to its dry air, which prevents storms from forming and suppresses existing storms from growing and strengthening.

The Saharan Air Layer reduces thunderstorm activity, which can impact hurricane formation and intensification, and city planners should prepare for potential effects on weather, air conditions, and citizens' health.

The Saharan Air Layer reduces thunderstorm activity due to its low moisture content, which suppresses cloud formation and precipitation.

The Saharan Air Layer can reduce thunderstorm activity by increasing dry air and reducing moisture availability, leading to reduced cyclone activity.

The Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) provides 24/7 air quality forecast data for Saharan dust events, which can be used to prepare for and mitigate the effects of Saharan dust storms.

The Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) provides 24/7 air quality forecast data for Saharan dust events, which can be used to track and predict the movement of dust plumes and prepare for their impacts.

The CAMS service provides 24/7 air quality forecast data for Saharan dust events, which can be used to inform decisions on how to prepare for and respond to these events.

The Saharan dust plume has reached Florida.

The Saharan dust plume has reached Florida and the Gulf Coast, affecting the region's sunrises and sunsets.

The Saharan dust plume has reached Florida and the Gulf Coast, according to the provided answer, which is consistent with the historical pattern of dust clouds from the Sahara affecting the southern U.S. and the Caribbean.

Saharan dust storms can cause increased allergy reactions and respiratory problems in citizens, particularly those with pre-existing conditions such as asthma and allergies.

Title:

Content: 03-27-2024

Sahara desert dust storms carry harmful bacteria and fungi around the globe

We often dismiss springtime allergies as reactions to local pollen. Yet, something else might cause our sniffles and sneezes: a massive dust storms that originate thousands of miles away in Africa’s Sahara region.

These gargantuan dust plumes travel the globe every summer, carrying a cocktail of pollutants and potential pathogens across continents.

Dr. Shankar Chellam, a Texas A&M University professor is leading the charge to understand the biological hitchhikers within dust storms.

He and his team are working to determine what microbes, specifically bacteria and fungi, migrate with the dust and explore their potential impact on human health.

Hidden passengers in Sahara dust

“We all get allergies and potentially other more severe health effects when we breathe in dust, and it’s not fully known as to what causes those allergies,” said Dr. Chellam.

“Some people may think it is just the sand or clay minerals in the dust. Others think it is the metals or organics in the dust, and then some think it’s the bacteria and fungi.”

The Saharan dust cloud carries vast amounts of sand particles that transport bacteria and fungi.

Dr. Chellam’s research uniquely addresses how Saharan dust storms introduce these microbes into North America.

What the dust storm from Sahara tells us

Dr. Chellam and his team analyzed samples from a Saharan dust event that reached Houston in 2018. They measured metals, bacteria, and fungi to investigate any connections.

Fascinatingly, their findings revealed strong links between the biodiversity of the microbes and specific elements, especially calcium.

While these elements occur naturally in the Sahara, they also exist in our local environments. Pinpointing the exact origin of the dust and its cargo remains a challenge that scientists continue to tackle.

Our air – Not as empty as we think

Perhaps the most startling discovery is that even seemingly lifeless clouds of dust brim with biological activity.

“A key takeaway from this study is that a lot of biodiversity is not scientifically described. It doesn’t have a name, it can’t be cultured, and because it can’t be cultured, it’s difficult to study,” explained Dr. Daniel Spalink, assistant professor at Texas A&M.

The team’s high-tech DNA analysis allowed them to create an inventory of bacteria and fungi, even if the microbes themselves weren’t active.

Surprisingly, they found traces of several pathogens known to cause disease in humans, as listed by the World Health Organization (WHO).

“It doesn’t tell us if they are going to be able to infect us and make us sick,” Spalink cautions, “But at least the DNA of several pathogenic bacteria and fungi were identified in the African dust.”

Impact of climate change on Sahara dust

Climate change is altering weather patterns globally. This transformation affects dust storm behavior, leading to variations in their frequency and intensity.

In 2020, the United States experienced the most massive Saharan dust storm ever recorded, which experts named “Godzilla.”

This event highlighted the potential for increasing occurrences of such dust invasions. “The whole dynamics of the Saharan dust coming to Houston is primarily driven by atmospheric processes,” said Dr. Sourav Das, a former student of Dr. Chellam.

Global connection of Sahara dust

Sahara dust storm travels far beyond the borders of North America, affecting global environmental systems in profound ways.

This dust, originating from the vast Sahara Desert, embarks on transcontinental journeys that influence climate, ocean biology, and ecosystems far removed from its source.

The Saharan dust plays a critical role in climate regulation. As it travels across oceans and continents, it reflects sunlight back into space, cooling the Earth’s surface.

This natural phenomenon acts as a counterbalance to the warming effects of greenhouse gases, showcasing how desert dust can influence global temperatures.

However, the dust also carries microorganisms and nutrients, such as phosphorus, that fertilize remote ecosystems, from the Amazon rainforest to the Caribbean Sea, demonstrating nature’s complex nutrient cycles.

Benefits to oceans

Ocean biology benefits from the nutrient-rich dust as well. When Saharan dust settles on ocean waters, it delivers essential minerals that stimulate the growth of phytoplankton.

These microscopic plants form the foundation of the oceanic food chain, supporting a diverse array of marine life.

The influx of nutrients from the Sahara can thus boost marine productivity, affecting fish populations and the global fishing industry.

Disadvantages

The impact of Saharan dust is not universally beneficial. In ecosystems unaccustomed to the influx of foreign particles and nutrients, the dust can disrupt local environments.

For example, excessive dust deposition can smother coral reefs, blocking sunlight and hindering photosynthesis. This can stress coral ecosystems, leading to bleaching events and loss of biodiversity.

Moreover, the health implications of Saharan dust extend across continents. The dust carries not only nutrients but also pollutants and pathogens that can affect air quality and public health.

Communities in the path of these dust plumes may experience increased respiratory issues, allergies, and diseases, highlighting the need for global health monitoring and preparedness.

Study insights

It’s crucial to gather data across multiple dust events, spanning many years, to get a clearer picture of these airborne microbial communities and how they might transform over time.

While a lot remains unknown, research like this shines a spotlight on the hidden travelers swirling in the air we breathe — travelers who might be affecting our health in surprising ways.

The next time you catch a glimpse of a dust storm rolling in, remember the globe-trotting microbes it carries!

The findings of the study are published in Environmental Science & Technology.

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How does Saharan dust affect immediate weather?

What are the negative health effects of Saharan dust?

Saharan dust storms can cause increased allergy reactions, respiratory issues, and diseases in citizens, particularly those with pre-existing conditions such as asthma and allergies.

How does Saharan dust affect immediate weather?

What are the negative health effects of Saharan dust?

Saharan dust storms can cause health issues such as increased allergy reactions, respiratory diseases, and skin problems due to the pollutants and pathogens carried by the dust.

Title:

Content: Dust storms from the Sahara desert spread invisible allergens around the world
Science and Technology
Copy Link https: / / en.rt.com / x903
Many blame pollen when the allergy season begins, but there are “invisible travelers ” coming from the Sahara and Sahel region, who may be the cause of this allergy.
The huge dust plumes, which originate thousands of miles away in sub-Saharan Africa, travel by dust storms around the world every summer, carrying a mix of pollutants and potential pathogens across continents.
Dr. Shankar Chilam, a professor at Texas A & M University, led the task of understanding the biological movers within dust storms.
He and his team are working to identify microbes, specifically bacteria and fungi, that migrate with dust and explore their potential impact on human health.
Dr. Chillam ’ s research uniquely addresses how desert dust storms introduced these microbes into North America.
Dr Chillam and his team analysed samples of desert dust that arrived in Houston in 2018, measuring minerals, bacteria and fungi to check for any links.
Surprisingly, their findings revealed strong links between microbial biodiversity and specific elements, especially calcium.
While these elements occur naturally in the Sahara Desert, they are also found in local North American environments.
Identifying the exact source and payload of the dust remains a challenge that scientists continue to face.
Perhaps the most surprising discovery is that even seemingly lifeless dust clouds are full of biological activity.
High-tech DNA analysis allowed the team to create a reservoir of bacteria and fungi, even if the microbes themselves were not active.
Surprisingly, they found traces of several pathogens known to cause disease in humans, according to the World Health Organization.
Dr Daniel Spalink, an assistant professor at Texas A & M University, warns: “This doesn ’ t tell us whether they will be able to infect us and make us sick, but at least the DNA of many pathogenic bacteria and fungi has been identified in African dust. ”
Climate change is changing weather patterns globally.
This shift affects the behavior of dust storms, leading to differences in their frequency and severity.
The dust storm in the Sahara travels far beyond the borders of North America, affecting global ecosystems in profound ways.
The dust, which originates from the vast Sahara desert, is released on transcontinental journeys that affect climate, ocean biology and ecosystems far from its source.
As it travels across oceans and continents, desert dust reflects sunlight back into space, cooling the Earth ’ s surface.
This natural phenomenon acts as a counterbalance to the greenhouse effects of greenhouse gases, illustrating how desert dust can affect global temperatures.
Dust also carries microorganisms and nutrients, such as phosphorus, which fertilises remote ecosystems, from the Amazon rainforest to the Caribbean Sea, demonstrating complex nutrient cycles in nature.
Ocean biology also benefits from nutrient-rich dust.
When desert dust settles on ocean waters, it provides essential minerals that stimulate the growth of phytoplankton that form the basis of the oceanic food chain and support a variety of marine life.
Thus, the flow of food from the Sahara could boost marine productivity, affecting fish populations and the global fishing industry.
But the effect of desert dust is not always beneficial, and in ecosystems unusual for the flow of foreign particles and nutrients, the dust can disrupt local environments.For example, excessive dust deposition can strangle corals, block sunlight and hinder photosynthesis.
Moreover, the health effects of desert dust extend across continents, where dust not only carries nutrients but also contaminants and pathogens that can affect air quality and public health.
Communities in the path of these dust plumes may face increased respiratory problems, allergies and diseases, highlighting the need for surveillance and global health preparedness.
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How does Saharan dust affect immediate weather?

What are the negative health effects of Saharan dust?

Saharan dust storms can cause health issues such as increased allergy reactions, respiratory diseases, allergies, and skin problems, particularly for people with pre-existing conditions like asthma and respiratory issues.

How does Saharan dust affect immediate weather?

What are the negative health effects of Saharan dust?

Saharan dust storms can cause increased respiratory problems, allergies, and diseases in citizens, particularly those with pre-existing respiratory issues.

How does Saharan dust affect immediate weather?

What are the negative health effects of Saharan dust?

Saharan dust storms can worsen respiratory issues like asthma due to the harmful bacteria and fungi they carry.

How does Saharan dust affect immediate weather?

What are the negative health effects of Saharan dust?

"Saharan dust storms can exacerbate respiratory disorders, asthma, and other respiratory issues due to the dust carrying pollutants and pathogens that affect air quality and public health."

How does Saharan dust affect immediate weather?

What are the negative health effects of Saharan dust?

Saharan dust storms can exacerbate respiratory disorders, including asthma, due to the presence of pollutants and allergens in the dust.

How does Saharan dust affect immediate weather?

What are the negative health effects of Saharan dust?

"Saharan dust storms can exacerbate respiratory disorders, asthma, and other respiratory issues, highlighting the need for surveillance and global health preparedness."

How can the authorities prepare for a Saharan dust storm?

How does Saharan dust affect immediate weather?

What are the negative health effects of Saharan dust?

Saharan dust storms can exacerbate respiratory disorders, asthma, and other respiratory issues by triggering allergy symptoms.

Title:

Content: Dust storm from Sahara to hit Türkiye

Dust storm from Sahara to hit Türkiye

İZMİR

A massive dust storm from the Sahara Desert is expected to shroud the country, with experts warning citizens, especially those with respiratory disorders, to take precautions.

Professor Dr. Doğan Yaşar, a climate scientist, cautioned that a period of intense dust transport will begin on March 25.

"Red-colored desert dust laden with iron particles will arrive in large quantities," he explained.

"While this dust fertilizes the soil and benefits agriculture, it can also trigger allergy symptoms like dry cough and sneezing, especially for people with asthma or other lung conditions,” he said.

Yaşar emphasized the importance of wearing masks during this period. "People with lung diseases should wear a particle-retaining mask for three weeks, if possible," he advised. "Regular masks can offer some protection as well."

"A single pine tree produces 12 billion pollen. Thus, during this period, pollen multiplies very intensively in the air. When we inhale this, we experience discomfort. It is especially dangerous for people with lung diseases such as asthma," he added.

The dust storm is a natural phenomenon that occurs annually, transporting around two billion tons of dust from the Sahara to various parts of the world. The professor highlighted the ecological benefits of this dust, which acts as a natural fertilizer. However, he cautions that the concentrated dust can irritate airways and exacerbate allergies.

While the dust storm may cause temporary inconveniences, Yaşar reassured citizens that there's no need for alarm.

"The dust benefits agriculture, but it's important to be aware of the potential health risks, especially for those with respiratory problems," he concluded.

dust storms, Türkiye,

How does Saharan dust affect immediate weather?

What are the negative health effects of Saharan dust?

"International cooperation and expansion of reserves may be appropriate responses to mitigate dust storms, which can have significant impacts on ecosystems and human health, including increased respiratory issues and decreased air quality."

How does Saharan dust affect immediate weather?

What are the negative health effects of Saharan dust?

"Mongolia is one of the countries most affected by global climate change, and the incidence of sandstorms is on the rise, but international cooperation and expansion of reserves might help mitigate the issue."

Title:

Content: Can a "comeback" dust storm in northern China be eradicated for the 10th time this year?
Font Size:
Source: China Newsweek
Author: Peng Dani, Li Jinjin
Liu Song, a 27-year-old Beijing-based resident, said it had been a long time since the dust storm hit Beijing last year.
He described a feeling of “dead memories beginning to strike me. ”
The Central Meteorological Station of China continued to issue a blue sandstorm warning at 1800 hours on April 19. It is expected that from 20: 00 to 20: 00 on April 19, there will be sand or dust storms in central and western Inner Mongolia, southern and eastern Xinjiang, most parts of Gansu, Ningxia, Shanxi, western Hebei and Beijing.
According to the monitoring data of the State Forestry and Grassland Administration, in the past 20 years, China's spring (March-May) dust weather has generally shown a reduction in the number of times, the intensity of weakening trend, has been reduced from the 1960s to the average of 21 times in the past 10 years eight times, and the number of sand and dust days has decreased by an average of 1.63 days every 10 years.
However, the respondents felt that in the past two or three years, the sand and dust weather has "made a comeback."
The north has ushered in the 10th sand and dust weather process so far this year.
This year, the frequency of sand and dust in China is the most frequent in the same period in the past 10 years.
According to the data of the China Meteorological Disaster Yearbook (2020), in the past 20 years, the average number of sand and dust weather in March to April was 7.8 times, and the number of times has exceeded the average.
In 2019, a study released by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) showed that about 1 / 4 of the newly added green areas in the world from 2000 to 2017 came from China, and China's contribution rate ranked first in the world, and part of it originated from the greening of sand areas.
In this context, how to understand the "relapse" of dust storms in recent years?
Or enter a new dust storm active cycle
On April 19, strong wind and dust weather occurred in many parts of Gansu, and yellow warnings of sandstorms were issued in Jiuquan and Silver.
Information released by flight travel service APP shows that on the same day, the visibility of Lanzhou Zhongchuan Airport was 400 meters, and by 12 noon, there were more than 100 return flights and standby flights.
Dust storms are a common meteorological disaster in arid and semi-arid areas.
Strong winds act like “sweeping robots, ” pulling massive amounts of sand and dust from the ground into the atmosphere from dry soil, taking them hundreds to thousands of kilometers away.
The intensity of sand and dust weather is usually distinguished by horizontal visibility, which is divided into five grades of floating dust, sand, dust storm, strong dust storm and super strong dust storm.
The horizontal visibility of the dust or sand weather is between 1 km and 10 km, the horizontal visibility of the dust storm is less than 1 km, the horizontal visibility of the strong dust storm is less than 500 meters, and the ultra-strong dust storm is less than 50 meters, commonly known as "black wind".
According to the literature, the two main sources of global dust storms are the African desert and the Asian region, which is dominated by the Sahara Desert.
There are three main source areas in Asia, namely Mongolia, the Taklamakan Desert and surrounding areas in northwest China, and the source area in western Inner Mongolia with the Badanjilin Desert as the main body.
Zhang Xiaoyan, academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and researcher of the Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences, told China News Weekly that there are more than 1.7 million square kilometers of desert area in northern China, and more than 300,000 square kilometers of Gobi and desert in southern Mongolia, because of the existence of these sandstorms, China is one of the most affected countries in the world by sandstorm weather.
In a recent paper published in April, scholars from the Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences pointed out that there are five main routes for the transmission of sand and dust in China, among which the northwestern route is more complex and covers the most extensive area.
It started outside Mongolia and its sandy land (including the Ulanbu Desert and Kubqi Desert in western Inner Mongolia), and transported sand and dust to the northwest, north China, the Yellow and Huai, and the Jianghuai, as the cold air moved from northwest to southeast.
In addition, the northwest path is also the most important transmission path for sandy weather in China, accounting for 38.5% of the sandy weather in the past 20 years.
At a regular press conference held by the Ministry of Ecology and Environment in March, Liu Bingjiang, director of the Department of Atmospheric Environment of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, said that since March this year, the domestic dust and dust weather has been high. The soil melts rapidly, and at the same time, the sand source ground is basically no precipitation, and the surface is not covered by snow, resulting in extensive surface exposure.
Second, meteorological conditions are conducive to the transmission of sand and dust.
This year, Mongolia's cyclone intensity is strong and cold air activity is high, and strong winds have provided favorable weather conditions for dust particles to roll up into the sky.
In the past 40 years, the frequency of sand and dust in northern China has shown a slow decline.
However, according to data from the Climate Prediction Room of the National Climate Center, the average total number of sand and dust storms in the North between 2018 and 2022 was higher than the average from 2013 to 2017.
In March 2021, the north suffered from sandstorms in many places, and on March 16 of that year, the Central Meteorological Station characterized it as, "The process reached a strong sandstorm intensity, which is the strongest sandstorm weather process in China in the past 10 years."
According to the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, in the dust storm, the concentration of PM10 in Beijing rose rapidly in a short time, rising four times in an hour to 6450 micrograms / cubic meter; the concentration of PM10 in the six urban areas reached 8108 micrograms / cubic meter.
"In the past few years, everyone felt that the sandstorm was getting less and less, and thought that the sandstorm had disappeared, but from the perspective of the past two or three years, the sandstorm weather has slowly increased in the past two years and is in a shock trend."
An atmospheric scientist in China said in an interview with China Newsweek.
"There is a cyclical change in the climate system, but this cyclical change is not particularly clear now, and it is difficult to judge the trend based on short-term conditions for several years," Wu Chenglai, an associate researcher at the Institute of Atmospheric Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, told China News Weekly.
Zhang Xiaoli believes that from the perspective of monsoon activities, we may have entered a new active period of sand and dust.
He further analyzed that the winter wind has a large cycle of 50-70 years.
China in the 1970s this decade, the dust storm disaster is more serious, after the occurrence of dust storms in the downward trend; the large cycle, winter wind and 20-30 years of short cycle, in this process, in 2002 Beijing there was a very large range of sand and dust storms, since then the wind has been in the process of weakening.
If you look at the 50-year cycle, the 2020s are the beginning of a new cycle.
Wu Chenglai also observed this change. Since 2018, the increase in surface wind speed may be a cyclical change to a large extent, but this needs further study.
He said that due to the large scope of the whole dust source area, specific to different areas, but also depends on the local surface conditions, geographical environment, etc., and such differences can sometimes be very large.
Why did Mongolia become a disaster area?
In mid-March 2021, when China suffered the "strongest sandstorm of the decade", disaster weather such as snowstorms and large sandstorms occurred in many provinces in Mongolia, with wind speeds reaching 20 meters per second.
On April 17, the National Meteorological and Environmental Monitoring Bureau of Mongolia issued a new warning of severe sandstorms, which are forming in the western and northwestern parts of the country.
Mongolia is an important source of sandstorm weather in China.
For example, during the strong dust storm from March 19 to 24 this year, according to satellite observations, a clear distribution of sand and dust can be observed in southern Mongolia on the morning of the 21st, and the range of sand and dust has since expanded.
For Wu Cheng, the specific contribution to a certain place, in fact, is not very clear.
Because the situation in the upstream of the dust storm is obtained through satellite observation, it can master some general characteristics, such as the dust content in the atmosphere, etc., but because the dust storm moving process will be accompanied by sand and settlement, so how much of the dust on a certain ground is rolled up such information, more first-hand data is needed.
In the past 10 years, the number of sandstorms in the Gobi region of Mongolia has quadrupled compared to the 1960s. In an interview with Xinhua in 2021, Enkhbat, director of the Climate Change Department of the Ministry of Natural Environment and Tourism of Mongolia, said that Mongolia is one of the countries most affected by global climate change, and the incidence of sandstorms is on the rise.
Most of Mongolia's land is covered by grasslands, mountains in the north and west, and the Gobi Desert in the south.
In the southern region of the country, many provinces bear the word "Gobi" in their names.
On the whole, Zhang Xiaoli pointed out that the main source of sand and dust in Mongolia, the more than 390,000 square kilometers of land in the south, is not mainly due to human activities in recent years, which have destroyed the surface and let the sand become active, in fact, there are few people here, and the desert and the Gobi are there.
Mongolia is located in the middle and high latitudes of the Inner Asian steppe, the whole territory of the inland far away from the sea, belongs to the temperate continental climate zone.
To add insult to injury, natural geographical location, global climate change and other factors have made the natural conditions of the region even worse.
In November 2020, a paper published in the journal Science, “East Asia ’ s Inland Climate Becomes Hot and Dry Beyond the Critical Point, ” mentioned that the past 20 years have witnessed unprecedented“ heatwave – drought ” concurrent phenomena in the interior of East Asia centered in Mongolia, which clearly goes beyond the scope of natural change and forms a vicious circle: soil drying accelerates local high temperatures, which exacerbates soil moisture decline.
Over the past 80 years, the average temperature in Mongolia has risen by about 2.25 degrees Celsius, far higher than the global average temperature rise, and the annual precipitation in Mongolia has decreased by 7% -8% during the same period, especially in the warm seasons such as spring and summer.
Up to now, 76.8 per cent of Mongolia's total land area has suffered from various degrees of desertification and the situation is still deteriorating.
According to official data, the past 10 years have been the hottest decade the country has experienced in nearly 80 years, with drought and heat causing 1,244 large and small rivers and lakes to dry up or stop flowing.
However, on April 14, at the sixth assessment report of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), IPCC expert Zhai Panmao said that the current research on critical points and irreversible phenomena is far from enough, and to reach conclusions, different researchers and different methods are required to provide multiple evidence from observations, mechanisms, models and other aspects.
Zhai Panmao said that although Mongolia's dry heat conditions have long existed and intensified, which will affect the land vegetation cover, in the context of climate warming, there is still a trend of increasing vegetation and precipitation in many middle and high latitudes.
In 1998, the Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography of the Chinese Academy of Sciences was established to provide scientific support for the development of natural resources, ecological restoration and environmental management in international arid zones.
Li Shengyu is a senior engineer of the Institute, and from 2018 to 2020, he led an international scientific and technological cooperation project called “Sino-Mongolian Grassland Desertification Control Technical Cooperation Research and Demonstration ”, and visited Mongolia many times in 2019 to carry out research and experimental research.
He told China News Weekly that the northern part of Mongolia's southern Gobi is a grassland belt, which is greatly affected by global climate change and local economic development activities.
He pointed out that the deterioration of grasslands in these areas is very obvious, and the center of gravity of desertification has shifted northward, adding to the sand and dust sources in Mongolia, which is a new problem.
Mongolia is the second largest landlocked country in the world, after Kazakhstan, but with a population of 3.3 million, it is the least densely populated sovereign country in the world. Livestock production accounts for about 90 per cent of the country's agricultural production, and one in four Mongolians is engaged in animal husbandry, a higher proportion than any other industry in Mongolia.
At the end of 2019, the International Monetary Fund pointed out that Mongolia ’ s livestock industry, once the main engine of the national economy, is now facing the threat of climate change and overgrazing.
Since 1990, the number of livestock has tripled to 70 million, far exceeding the carrying capacity of the land.
The agency ’ s study also noted that overgrazing in Mongolia is linked to soaring global cashmere prices, as well as a lack of appropriate land-use regulations or pasture management standards.
Nomadic herding was originally a kind of human activity with a relatively small burden on grasslands, but Li Shengyu said that driven by the international cashmere trade demand, now the local not only overgrazed, but also preferred to breed goats, goats such animals will eat grass close to the ground, and even the grass roots will be planed out to eat, the damage to the grassland is relatively large.
On the other hand, unlike domestic grazing regulations, Mongolia's rangelands are communal, which leads to a "tragedy of the commons", where everyone wants to make the most of the rangelands, but does not care about their sustainable use.
Mining is another issue.
Mongolia is rich in mineral and coal resources and is known as "the Saudi Arabia of the coal industry".
Relying on mining production and investment from foreign mining companies, Mongolia achieved unprecedented economic growth and entered the ranks of middle-income countries in 2012.
By 2019, mining output value accounted for 23.8% of Mongolia's GDP, and mineral exports accounted for more than 70% of the total, with a trend of increasing year by year.
Li Shengyu said that many of the coal mines are located in Gobi in southern Mongolia and are open pit mines.
Open pit mining needs to peel off the surface of the soil layer, the mining range is very large, and there are not many environmental protection measures, once encountered dry, windy weather, dig out of the dust flying with the wind.
Moreover, mining changes conditions such as groundwater or rivers, exacerbating the deterioration of the grassland growing environment.
Since 2007, the Chinese Academy of Sciences has been cooperating with Mongolia on desertification control. Since 2013, the former State Forestry Administration has organized research institutes such as the Institute of Desertification of the Chinese Academy of Forestry to organize desertification control seminars for Mongolia.
"Due to a variety of factors, the dust storm in Mongolia has entered a new active period, which requires a lot of research in the future."
Huang Ning, a professor at the School of Civil Engineering and Mechanics of Lanzhou University and director of the Key Laboratory of Disaster and Environmental Mechanics of the Ministry of Education in the West, said that Mongolia's lack of field research stations, monitoring equipment and instruments is not conducive to the development of research.
Zhang Xiaoyi, a United Nations expert who went to Mongolia to investigate, said that the China Meteorological Administration and Mongolia have cooperated for a long time to help each other build an observatory, but there is no way to invest people, money and materials, and the observatory is in a very loose state.
Fighting dust storms: What can humans do?
Han Bin, a 32-year-old Beijinger, also noted that in earlier years, Beijing was rarely disturbed by dust storms in spring.
He attributed the good weather to China's achievements in combating desertification.
In the past two or three years, when Beijing and other cities have been hit by dust storms again, some people have asked: Why have the trees planted over the years not been able to stop the dust storms?
In 1978, the Three North Sheltered Forest Project, named the "Great Green Wall", began to be implemented, becoming a landmark project in China to prevent wind and control desertification.
The area covers a total area of 1.49 million square kilometers, accounting for about 85 percent of the country's sandy land.
Since then, China has successively launched key ecological projects such as returning farmland to forests and grasslands, natural forest protection, and management of wind and sand sources in Beijing and Tianjin; at the legal level, the Law of the People's Republic of China on Prevention and Control of Desertification has been promulgated, and policies such as subsidies for sandy land sealing and protection areas, compensation for ecological public welfare forests, and subsidies for grassland ecological protection have been formulated.
"The Chinese government is one of the countries in the world that have been affected by the sandstorms," Li said. "China has invested a lot of money to set up a number of professional management bodies, and a large number of scientists are engaged in scientific research."
Zhang also pointed out that compared with neighboring countries, China's efforts and contributions are the most, which should be affirmed.
In terms of desertification control, China can be called a global benchmark.
However, several experts interviewed pointed out that the extent to which desertification control has slowed down dust storm pollution requires more careful analysis.
In the Taklamakan Desert, the largest desert in China, a study published in 2022 by Huo Wen, a researcher at the Institute of Desert Meteorology of the China Meteorological Administration, found that in the central area of the desert, artificial green space can reduce the near-ground wind speed by about 70%.
In addition, the vegetation root system makes it easier for the soil to retain water, reduce evaporation, and produce a "water lock" function, making the ground sand difficult to pick up.
However, when the cold air from Mongolia swept south with sand and dust to China, he said, the air affected thousands of meters high, and its height was no longer blocked by the Three North Shelters.
Two or three hundred meters high shelterbelts can block part of the surface of the coarse sand, but far from blocking the sand particles that are carried high by the wind.
However, the protective forest system can reduce the "sand and dust relay" on the sand and dust transmission path, which is still of great ecological significance.
In addition to monitoring sandstorm weather, Wu Chenglai also reviewed and analyzed the evolution of sandstorms to understand some of the major sandstorm events, the main drivers, etc. Since 2000, his team has analyzed the reasons for the decline in sandstorm activity in East Asia between 2001 and 2017.
The study, published in Nature Communications in 2022, shows that weakening surface wind speeds contributed 46% of the decline in sand and dust activity during this period, with soil wetting and vegetation greening contributing the remaining 54%.
Among them, the contribution rate of vegetation greening is about 30%, including human tree planting and grass planting projects, but also including naturally growing vegetation.
In this sense, human desertification control projects can play a much smaller role than the impact of changes in meteorological factors.
Some people believe that more fine sand and dust from a large number of dry lakes and desertified land is a more important source of sand and dust, but it has not been given due attention and actively managed.
However, Zhang Xiaoli said that these finer sand and dust sands are relatively large, but their proportion is small compared to the traditional sand and dust source areas of the desert.
Flux refers to the amount of sand that can be released into the atmosphere per unit of time and per unit area.
Unlike the public's optimism, many scholars engaged in desertification control and sandstorm research have emphasized that people are small in the face of sandstorm problems and it is impossible to eradicate sandstorms.
Compared to other air pollution, dust storm weather is a natural dominant force phenomenon, it has existed for millions of years, if not for human likes and dislikes, it is difficult to even be called a "disaster".
As some scholars have pointed out, about 28 million tons of sand and dust from the Sahara desert in Africa cross the sea to South America every year, bringing about 22,000 tons of phosphorus fertilizer to the Amazon rainforest, thus nourishing and compensating for the nutrients lost in the tropical rainforests.
Compared with the vast desert and Gobi area, China's efforts over the past decades have been "green", but only a very small part.
According to an official circular issued by the State Forestry and Grassland Administration in March this year, the area of desertification and desertification in China has been continuously reduced in recent years, and the work of preventing and controlling desertification has achieved good results.
However, China still has 2.5737 million square kilometers of desertified land and 1.6878 million square kilometers of sandy land, especially the large area of desert and the Gobi has always been a huge and permanent source of sand and dust.
“In general, on the edge of the desert, close to the river, we do some governance work, but this is 6% to 7% of the more than 1.7 million square kilometers of desert. ”
"The vast majority of deserts are in extremely arid areas, with average annual rainfall of tens of millimeters or less, and the human impact is very weak," Zhang told China News Weekly.
On the other hand, some unscientific and irrational behaviors in the process of combating desertification have counteracted the ecological environment.
Xue Xian, a researcher at the Northwest Institute of Ecological Environment and Resources of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and director of the Desert and Desertification Research Office, said in an interview with the media that in recent years, protective forests have been degraded and killed because of their single vegetation and high density.
In an interview with China Newsweek, a scholar engaged in desertification control at the grassroots level said that in reality, there are still many problems in the work of desertification control, "we may still overemphasize the new area of desertification control and afforestation, and even turn it into an administrative indicator."
Zhang said that in the scientific community, the research on sandstorms has shifted from scientific understanding to how to prevent and control sandstorms, especially in forecasting and early warning.
In his view, in the future, humans can change relatively limited, and more accurate forecasts and warnings can slow down the damage of dust storms to society and individuals.
"The sandstorm is a large-scale land-surface process, involving climate change and regional anthropogenic activities," said the researchers, who have been engaged in the work for many years, hope that the public will not completely deny China's achievements in combating desertification because of the repeated visits of sandstorms.
Perhaps, when the next sandstorm comes, we will think: How can we better prevent and control sand?
And what ordinary people can do, may just close the doors and windows, reduce the door, wear a good mask.
(Liu Song and Han Bing are aliases.)
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"To prepare for the health impacts of Saharan dust storms, global health monitoring and the use of particle-retaining masks are necessary, as the dust can cause increased respiratory issues, allergies, and diseases."

How can people protect their health during Saharan dust storms?

How does Saharan dust affect immediate weather?

What are the negative health effects of Saharan dust?

"To prepare for the health impacts of Saharan dust storms, global health monitoring and particle-retaining masks are necessary due to the potential for increased respiratory problems, allergies, and diseases."

How can people protect their health during Saharan dust storms?

How can the authorities prepare for a Saharan dust storm?

How does Saharan dust affect immediate weather?

What are the negative health effects of Saharan dust?

Preparation for the health impacts of Saharan dust storms involves taking precautions such as wearing particle-retaining masks, especially for individuals with respiratory disorders, and engaging in global health monitoring to track the storm's effects on public health.

How can people protect their health during Saharan dust storms?

How can the authorities prepare for a Saharan dust storm?

How does Saharan dust affect immediate weather?

What are the negative health effects of Saharan dust?

Saharan dust storms can have a negative impact on air conditions by carrying pollutants and potential pathogens, leading to air pollution.

How does Saharan dust affect immediate weather?

What are the negative health effects of Saharan dust?

Saharan dust storms can introduce microbes and elements into the air, potentially leading to air pollution.

How does Saharan dust affect immediate weather?

Saharan dust storms can have a negative impact on air conditions by carrying pollutants and pathogens that can affect air quality and public health.

How does Saharan dust affect immediate weather?

What are the negative health effects of Saharan dust?

Saharan dust storms can have a negative impact on air conditions by carrying pollutants and microbes that can affect human health, contributing to air pollution.

How does Saharan dust affect immediate weather?

What are the negative health effects of Saharan dust?

Saharan dust storms can have a negative impact on air conditions, contributing to air pollution and causing issues such as hazy skies and allergies.

Title:

Content: Hurricane Killer? Here are some things you may not know about Saharan dust

Dust from Africa moves across the Atlantic every year from late spring to early fall

It’s a common visitor in the summer months: dust from the Saharan Desert. Hazy skies and occasional allergies are common issues caused by the dust. But did you know that this layer of dust is more interesting than it appears? Here are some things you may not know about Saharan dust:

KEY TAKEAWAYS

  • Millions of tons of dust are transported across the Atlantic every year
  • Nutrient-rich Saharan dust plays a crucial role in the global ecosystem
  • Dust suppresses hurricane development

WHOLE LOTTA DUST!

Every year, from late spring to early fall, trade winds transport 180 million tons of dust from the Saharan Desert across the Atlantic Ocean. Impressively, that’s as much as 4.5 million 18-wheelers full of dust!

NATURE’S BEST FRIEND

Saharan dust is often rich in nutrients like iron and phosphorus. As the dust settles over the ocean, it fertilizes algae and plankton, allowing them to grow and flourish in an otherwise barren environment. These organisms are vital sources of food for ocean life.

Similarly, as the dust settles over land, areas like the Amazon rainforest benefit from the extra nutrients.

HURRICANE EXTINGUISHER

The African dust that moves across the Atlantic Ocean is also called the Saharan Air Layer (SAL). The SAL occurs in waves at the same time as Atlantic hurricane season, from June through November.

It’s known that the SAL limits hurricane development and strength. This is because tropical storms like hurricanes need deep, rich moisture from the surface to the top of the atmosphere to survive. Since the air carrying Saharan dust is usually dry, it can prevent storms from forming and suppress existing storms from growing and strengthening.

DUST’S IMPACT ON TEXAS

While a dense plume of dust sometimes causes minor allergy-like symptoms for some, the most noticeable impact is on Texas skies. A haze often forms on the horizon, giving an ordinarily clear, blue sky a milky hue during the day.

At sunrise and sunset, the horizon can appear brilliantly orange because, with dust in the air, sunlight has more particles to bounce off.

About the Author

Sarah Spivey is a San Antonio native who grew up watching KSAT. She has been a proud member of the KSAT Weather Authority Team since 2017. Sarah is a Clark High School and Texas A&M University graduate. She previously worked at KTEN News. When Sarah is not busy forecasting, she enjoys hanging out with her husband and cat, and playing music.

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How does Saharan dust affect immediate weather?

What are the negative health effects of Saharan dust?

The Saharan dust cloud is carried over the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea by trade winds, which transport 180 million tons of dust from the Saharan Desert every year.

What areas of the Americas have been affected by Saharan dust storms?

The Saharan dust cloud is carried over the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea by trade winds.

Title:

Content: Havana, Cuba.- Cubans are entering the final days of July with a forecast of high temperatures, accompanied by little rain throughout the national territory.

In recent days, the heat punished the inhabitants of the Caribbean island, where through the Institute of Meteorology it was learned that in 38 of the 68 stations subordinate to the scientific entity, temperatures above 34 Celsius degrees were reported.

Meanwhile, the nightly broadcast of the National Television Newscast specified that in the eastern territory of Granma 39°C were registered on Saturday.

Behind it, the most overwhelmed towns were Colón in the western province of Matanzas with 37.2 °C; and Bainoa, in the also western province of Mayabeque, with 36.5 °C; while in the capital the thermometers marked 36 °C.

Days prior to the establishment of these temperature records for the current month, the Institute of Meteorology warned about the arrival of a cloud of dust from the Sahara on the island.

The experts explained that this phenomenon would cause a new decrease in rainfall and would maintain the feeling of great heat.

These clouds contain iron, silica, fungi, bacteria, viruses, various pathogenic mites, among other elements. They can cause acute respiratory diseases, allergies and skin problems.

Dust from the Sahara affects coral reefs, and fruit, rice, sugar cane, bean and other crops. It is caused by storms that occurred in the Sahara desert, coming out of the African continent.

It moves over the freshest and most humid marine air, and joining the flow of the trade winds, it quickly reaches the Atlantic Ocean, the Caribbean Sea, and the Gulf of Mexico.

What areas of the Americas have been affected by Saharan dust storms?

Saharan dust storms can negatively impact air quality and public health in local ecosystems by carrying harmful bacteria and fungi that can cause allergies and other health effects.

How does Saharan dust affect immediate weather?

What are the negative health effects of Saharan dust?

"Saharan dust storms can negatively affect air quality and public health in local ecosystems by carrying pathogens known to cause disease in humans."

How does Saharan dust affect immediate weather?

What are the negative health effects of Saharan dust?

Saharan dust storms can negatively affect air quality and public health in local ecosystems by carrying pollutants and pathogens.

How does Saharan dust affect immediate weather?

What are the negative health effects of Saharan dust?

Saharan dust storms can negatively affect air quality and public health in local ecosystems by carrying microbes that can affect human health.

How does Saharan dust affect immediate weather?

What are the negative health effects of Saharan dust?

Saharan dust storms can negatively affect air quality and public health in local ecosystems, causing issues such as hazy skies and allergies.

How does Saharan dust affect immediate weather?

What are the negative health effects of Saharan dust?

Saharan dust storms can cause hazy skies and minor allergy-like symptoms in Texas due to the pollutants and potential pathogens they carry.

How does Saharan dust affect immediate weather?

What are the negative health effects of Saharan dust?

What areas of the Americas have been affected by Saharan dust storms?

What areas of the US have been affected by Saharan dust storms?

Saharan dust storms can cause hazy skies and minor allergy-like symptoms in Texas.

How does Saharan dust affect immediate weather?

What are the negative health effects of Saharan dust?

What areas of the Americas have been affected by Saharan dust storms?

What areas of the US have been affected by Saharan dust storms?

Saharan dust storms can cause minor allergy-like symptoms and hazy skies in Texas.

How does Saharan dust affect immediate weather?

What are the negative health effects of Saharan dust?

What areas of the Americas have been affected by Saharan dust storms?

What areas of the US have been affected by Saharan dust storms?

Saharan dust storms can cause health effects in Texas, including hazy skies and minor allergy-like symptoms, due to the presence of pollutants and potential pathogens in the dust.

How does Saharan dust affect immediate weather?

What are the negative health effects of Saharan dust?

What areas of the Americas have been affected by Saharan dust storms?

What areas of the US have been affected by Saharan dust storms?

Saharan dust storms can cause hazy skies and minor allergy-like symptoms, such as dry cough and sneezing, especially in people with asthma or other lung conditions.

How does Saharan dust affect immediate weather?

What are the negative health effects of Saharan dust?

The annual amount of dust crossing the Atlantic Ocean is approximately 182 million tons, which plays a significant role in the Earth's climate system.

Title:

Content: Science and Technology
NASA Satellites Capture Desert Dust Column Over Atlantic Ocean
Thank you for reading the news about NASA technology: NASA satellites pick up a column of desert dust over the Atlantic Ocean and now with the details
CAIRO (Reuters) - NASA satellites have revealed that July is a particularly windy month in sub-Saharan Africa, with large plumes of dust being pulled across the Atlantic toward the United States and the Caribbean.
NASA ’ s Aqua satellite captured images using the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MODIS), where these natural-color images spotted a huge dust plume hovering off the desert over the ocean, stretching between the Canary Islands and Cabo Verde.
The Aqua satellite is part of the International Earth Observation System (EOS) and studies the water cycle, and although this particular image was taken on July 26, Aqua and other satellites captured many similar events over the course of the month, indicating a more active month than usual.
About 182 million tons of dust blow across the Atlantic each year, and play an important role in the Earth ’ s climate system.
Dust columns as they travel through the air, dust particles absorb and reflect sunlight, contributing to the planet ’ s overall thermoregulation, and creating a dramatic sunset, which has been seen throughout Florida, Texas, and the Caribbean over the past month.
You may also read.

The amount of dust that crosses the Atlantic Ocean annually is estimated to be more than 180 million tons, according to NOAA.

Title:

Content: Saharan dust reaches stunning levels in Atlantic. Here's what that means for hurricane season

Significant Saharan dust plumes are common in the Atlantic during the start of hurricane season. If levels of SAL maintain a steadiness after about Aug. 20, then there would be significant ramifications to both the amount of cyclones and their overall strength.

First, Europe that was socked in by record levels of dust from the Sahara Desert in Africa. The Atlantic appears to have now taken the lead, with dust levels not seen in years across parts of the basin.

Satellite measurements indicate intensive plumes of dust, called the Saharan Air Layer, across much of the eastern Atlantic. Traces of dust have even made the more than 4,000-mile journey to Florida and the Gulf Coast.

Sunrises and sunsets have been enhanced across the Sunshine State as the particles scatter typical colors, allowing hues of orange, yellow and red to dominate the sky.

Aside from the vibrant colors, something not falling from the sky is precipitation.

According to NOAA, the air surrounding the SAL has about 50% less moisture than the typical atmosphere. This means the presence of the SAL can be detrimental to cloud formation and thunderstorm activity.

Significant plumes of dust and dry air are common during the first months of the hurricane season and usually persist through mid-August.

A LOOK AT A PHENOMENON THAT COULD DERAIL AN ACTIVE HURRICANE SEASON

How Saharan dust impacts hurricane season

NOAA estimates that more than 180 million tons of dust leave the African continent every year, reducing thunderstorm activity and tropical cyclone formation.

Dry air and Saharan dust are perennial wild cards in tropical weather outlooks, as meteorology has yet to develop sufficient methods to forecast plumes weeks and months in advance.

Years with significant dust often experience reduced cyclone activity. Seasons with minimal dust typically rank at the top echelons of activity, thanks to increased moisture availability for tropical systems and warmer water temperatures.

The current season is a bit unusual as water temperatures started on the warm side across much of the basin, negating any minor effects from a dust storm.

Warm waters and limited exposure to dry air helped with the formations of AlbertoBeryl and Chris during late June and early July.

Since Beryl’s historic trek through the Caribbean and into the Gulf of Mexico, the basin has been relatively quiet, a likely product of the increase in dry air.

The trend for limited activity in the Atlantic basin is expected to continue for the foreseeable future, meaning that the next cyclone formation may be weeks away.

5 THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT THE SAHARAN DUST PLUME

During an average year, the fourth-named storm usually doesn’t form until about Aug. 15, meaning any formation during the next month will keep the season ahead of a typical schedule.

Despite the hostile conditions in the Atlantic, hurricane forecasters at Colorado State University maintain that 2024 will be a busy season in the Atlantic.

CSU released its updated outlook Tuesday, which calls for an additional 22 named storms, 11 hurricanes and five major hurricanes.

"This forecast is of above-normal confidence. We anticipate a well above-average probability for major hurricane landfalls along the continental United States coastline and in the Caribbean," CSU forecasters stated during their most recent tropical update. "As with all hurricane seasons, coastal residents are reminded that it only takes one hurricane making landfall to make it an active season."

The season runs through Nov. 30, but nearly 60% of cyclone formation occurs in August and September.

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The forecast for the area of interest over the next five days indicates a low chance of development due to the expected continuation of limited activity in the Atlantic basin.

"The area of interest off the coast of Africa has a low chance of development over the next five days, indicating a potential lull in tropical activity."

Title:

Content: This weekend marks the peak of the Atlantic Hurricane Season. This is typically when the Atlantic is most active for tropical systems. This year, however, the Atlantic looks to be settling down, at least for the time being.

Not too long ago the Atlantic was busy with Hurricane Danielle, then Hurricane Earl forming. Both of those storms remained out in the open Atlantic away from the United States. Now that Danielle has faded and Earl is moving away, there are not as many areas to watch in the Atlantic.

The latest Tropical Update

For now, there is only one area of interest off the coast of Africa. This area only has a low chance of development over the next five days. This doesn’t mean that another storm won’t form in the days to come, but it is possible that we will see a lull in tropical activity.

Saharan dust continues to be a limiting factor for storm development. This dry, dusty air limits and chokes off thunderstorm development in the Atlantic. Thus limiting the number of tropical systems. For now, more Saharan dust is expected to move out into the open Atlantic, hindering any tropical development over the next few days.

While presently there are factors that are limiting tropical development in the Atlantic, there is still half of the season left to go. We still have time for conditions to change and for more storms to develop later on.

The Weather Authority will continue to monitor the topics and bring you the latest.

The area of interest is expected to have a low chance of tropical development over the next five days due to the presence of Saharan dust.

How does Saharan dust affect immediate weather?

"A tropical wave in the Caribbean has a low chance of development over the next five days, with a 20% chance of formation."

Title:

Content: Hurricane center begins tracking a system in the Caribbean

·2 min read

ORLANDO, Fla. — The National Hurricane Center has been jumping around the last few days tracking short-lived systems with the potential to form into a tropical depression or storm. Late Monday, the NHC began looking at the Caribbean Sea.

As of the NHC’s 8 p.m. Eastern time tropical update, a tropical wave located in the central Caribbean is forecast to move across Central America and emerge over the southwestern Gulf of Mexico where it could develop into the season’s next named system.

“Some gradual development of this system is possible thereafter as it moves slowly to the northwest or north-northwest over the southwestern Gulf of Mexico by this weekend,” said NHC hurricane specialist Philippe Papin.

The NHC gives the system a 20% chance of formation in the next five days.

The Caribbean system follows the NHC keeping track of a broad trough of low pressure in the mid-Atlantic late Sunday, but its chances of formation dropped to 0% by Monday morning. Over the weekend, the NHC tracked a system in the Gulf of Mexico, but it failed to form into more than a spate of showers and thunderstorms that drenched southeastern Texas. Before that, a system off the African coast showed some signs of development before environmental factors snuffed its chances.

Part of the reason for what prevents tropical storm development is the dry conditions in the Atlantic. A large migration of African dust, the Saharan Air Layer, or SAL, is the main reason tropical moisture isn’t at the ideal level for development. Large dust plumes are still pushing west of Africa and into the Caribbean, preventing the Atlantic basin from becoming a hurricane nursery, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s SAL forecast shows.

Hurricane season is approaching its peak, which runs from mid-August to mid-October, with Sept. 10 recorded as the statistically most productive day of storms in the tropics.

So far, the 2022 season has seen three named storms: Alex, Bonnie and Colin. Based on historical averages, the fourth named storm of the year typically appears by Aug. 15. If a system were to emerge, it would receive the name Danielle.

Last week, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reaffirmed its preseason prediction of an above-average hurricane season with a range of 14 to 21 named storms. The NOAA expects most of those storms to emerge at the peak of the season.

Hurricane season ends on Nov. 30.

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"The Saharan dust storm is expected to have a low chance of development into a tropical storm over the next five days, due to the dry conditions in the Atlantic caused by the Saharan Air Layer."

How does Saharan dust affect immediate weather?

Saharan dust storms can cause temperature fluctuations by reflecting sunlight back into space and cooling the Earth's surface.

What are the positive effects of Saharan dust on the environment?

reflects sunlight back into space
cools the Earth's atmosphere

Saharan dust storms can cause temperature fluctuations, with expected rising temperatures in the affected areas.

Title:

Content: Motorists are being warned of a potential threat to vehicles as weather maps indicate that a sizzling 'Saharan Plume' is approaching. The UK has so far experienced a week of wet and windy conditions, but hope is in sight for those seeking sunnier spells, as the temperatures are forecast to rise in the coming days.

Despite a week plagued by unpredictable weather, characterised by muggy temperatures and frequent rainfall, next week's forecasts hint at an upturn. From Sunday May 19 to Tuesday May 21, it's predicted we'll see a return of balmy temperatures and plenty of sunshine, making way for a potentially splendid half term break.

Predictions suggest the best of the weather will shine on the Midlands, Northeast England and Yorkshire, where certain regions are anticipated to bask in highs of around 23C.

Things are set to heat up even further come May 26, with London, the southeast and the south coast potentially seeing mercury levels touch a sweltering 24C. Meanwhile, the rest of the country is expected to stay comfortably above 20C.

Netweather reports that most of England can look forward to temperatures hovering between 22C and 24C. While a bit cooler, Wales will still have some spots surpassing 20C, with Northern Ireland showing a similar trend, reports the Mirror.

Adding their input, the Met Office has issued its own forecast for the upcoming week. Their prognosis for May 19 to May 28 is characterised as "changeable", with temperatures predicted to be "generally around or just above average."

The current forecast indicates: "Temperatures will be generally around or just a little above average. With winds tending to be light, it will feel warm in sunnier areas. As we head further into the following week, confidence lowers into the following week. On balance, a continuation of the showers in the south seems most likely, with the north continuing to see the best of any drier weather. Temperatures will probably remain a little above average."

There's growing speculation about another Saharan plume potentially warming up the UK soon. While the prospect of warmer weather might be welcome, it's important to note that such conditions can also pose risks to both people and vehicles.

One significant hazard associated with a Saharan plume is the dust it carries, which recently wreaked havoc across mainland Europe last month. This natural occurrence enchanted many with its hazy skies and vibrant sunsets, yet it also escalated air pollution levels, surpassing some of the European Union's safety thresholds in various regions, including popular vacation destination Spain.

In southern and eastern parts of the country, residents experienced air quality that was four times over the healthy limit for PM10 particle contamination, posing a particular threat to individuals with respiratory conditions like asthma.

The Saharan dust also poses a risk to vehicles, as the thin layer of dust that typically settles on cars after desert weather can scratch paintwork and windows if not properly removed. To safely clean off the dust without causing damage, motorists are advised not to rub or wipe the dust away, but to thoroughly rinse their vehicle first, ideally using a pre-wash, followed by a snow foam soak and a thorough rinse.

How does Saharan dust affect immediate weather?

Saharan dust storms can cause temperature fluctuations, as seen in Cuba where a cloud of dust from the Sahara arrived, followed by high temperatures.

How does Saharan dust affect immediate weather?

What areas of the Americas have been affected by Saharan dust storms?

"To prepare for Saharan dust storms, individuals should take precautions, especially those with respiratory disorders, by wearing masks to minimize the risk of allergy symptoms and other health issues."

How can people protect their health during Saharan dust storms?

How does Saharan dust affect immediate weather?

What are the negative health effects of Saharan dust?

Individuals can prepare for Saharan dust storms by taking necessary precautions to minimize their exposure to the dust, especially if they have respiratory problems.

How can people protect their health during Saharan dust storms?

How does Saharan dust affect immediate weather?

What are the negative health effects of Saharan dust?

The Saharan Air Layer reduces thunderstorm activity, which is evident from its role in suppressing hurricane development.

How does Saharan dust affect immediate weather?

The Saharan Air Layer reduces thunderstorm activity by limiting hurricane development and strength due to its dry air, which prevents storms from forming and suppresses existing storms from growing and strengthening.

How does Saharan dust affect immediate weather?

The Saharan Air Layer reduces thunderstorm activity, which can impact hurricane formation and intensification, and city planners should prepare for potential effects on weather, air conditions, and citizens' health.

How does Saharan dust affect immediate weather?

The Saharan Air Layer reduces thunderstorm activity due to its low moisture content, which suppresses cloud formation and precipitation.

How does Saharan dust affect immediate weather?

The Saharan Air Layer can reduce thunderstorm activity by increasing dry air and reducing moisture availability, leading to reduced cyclone activity.

How does Saharan dust affect immediate weather?

The Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) provides 24/7 air quality forecast data for Saharan dust events, which can be used to prepare for and mitigate the effects of Saharan dust storms.

Title:

Content: Europe

CAMS monitors Saharan dust transport across western and central Europe

Aerosol forecasts from the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service present a big amount of Saharan mud transferring northwards throughout Europe over the following few days. CAMS continues to watch the Saharan mud transport following current forecasts that confirmed the very best values over western Europe between 15 and 17 March 2022. The CAMS forecasts additionally present degraded air high quality throughout giant components of Spain, Portugal and France associated to the Saharan mud transport.

Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) forecasts since 11 March have been exhibiting a big plume of mud with very excessive values of aerosol optical depth (AOD) and mud concentrations travelling northwards throughout the Iberian Peninsula, France and central areas of Europe between 15 and 17 March. The trajectory of this mud plume has resulted in very excessive predicted floor concentrations of PM10 as much as 250 micrograms per cubic metre, though European Environment Agency measurements have been exhibiting values in extra of this at many websites throughout Spain on 15 March. This is larger than the EU beneficial 24-hour imply threshold of fifty micrograms per cubic centimetre.

CAMS tracks all levels of mud transport from the Sahara Desert yearly and has been monitoring the annual mud transport, from completely different supply areas throughout the desert, for the reason that starting of the 12 months. CAMS forecasts are offered at each the European and global scale, and function a instrument to assist residents, companies, and policymakers make knowledgeable selections on a steady foundation with 24/7 air high quality forecast information. Air high quality is recognised as being very important to human well being as excessive concentrations of mud can have well being impacts on the respiratory programs of all individuals within the affected areas and add to particulate matter air air pollution from native sources. Senior Scientist, Mark Parrington, on the ECMWF Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service feedback: “In CAMS we use satellite and in situ observations in our air quality forecasts to be able to provide a continual and reliable source of information for monitoring air pollution events such as this. Long-range transport events such as this occur most years and the impacts of the current event is quite striking. While the dust will affect air quality in parts of southwest Europe, the larger scale impacts will be hazy skies or some surface deposition.” You can discover extra data on the CAMS monitoring of this 12 months’s Saharan mud season right here: https://atmosphere.copernicus.eu/saharan-dust-heads-north-cams-tracks-its-progress-nfAdditional air high quality information will be discovered within the Atmospheric Data Store (ADS):https://ads.atmosphere.copernicus.eu/cdsapp#!/dataset/cams-global-atmospheric-composition-forecasts?tab=overviewandhttps://ads.atmosphere.copernicus.eu/cdsapp#!/dataset/cams-europe-air-quality-forecasts?tab=overview

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How does Saharan dust affect immediate weather?

The Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) provides 24/7 air quality forecast data for Saharan dust events, which can be used to track and predict the movement of dust plumes and prepare for their impacts.

How does Saharan dust affect immediate weather?

The CAMS service provides 24/7 air quality forecast data for Saharan dust events, which can be used to inform decisions on how to prepare for and respond to these events.

How does Saharan dust affect immediate weather?

The Saharan dust plume has reached Florida.

Title:

Content: News

Heat relief heading for NY — other parts of US aren’t as lucky

After soaring temperatures baked the Big Apple this week, New Yorkers will see some relief in the coming days while other parts of the country won’t be so lucky.

“After a couple of toasty days up here in the Northeast that I am glad are behind us, we’re back to about average,” Fox Weather meteorologist Christopher Tate told The Post Saturday.

The thermometer was in the mid-80s Saturday afternoon, though high humidity helped the “real feel” temp reach as high as 99 degrees in some parts of the city.

Temps should stay in the 80s for the next few days, flirting with 90 degrees later in the week in the five boroughs, Tate said.

But summer thunderstorms will provide some relief.

Central Park should see a couple of heavy thunderstorms overnight and on Sunday. A flash flood alert is in effect for the Northeast due to rainfall forecast from Sunday through Tuesday.

Around New York City, the greatest risk of flooding will be from Sunday evening to early Monday, according to AccuWeather.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if we see an occasional report here or there of some standing water causing some issues or maybe some drains getting backed up but it shouldn’t be anything major,” said Tate.

Monday should be clearer, but Tate couldn’t promise there won’t be some thunder.

The southeastern United States, which experienced a blistering heat wave this week, will also get some relief, but at the expense of severe storm threats and a cold front rolling through.

The deadly heat throughout the Desert Southwest, however, will drag on, with 110-plus degree heat stretching past two weeks.

“They’re setting up for what could be one of the longest stretches of 110-degree or higher high temperatures, potentially even on record,” said Tate. “That would get them into territory where they would rival past heat waves, even by Southwest standards.”

Hot air is less dense than cold air, Tate explained, which could impact air travel in the area because it is harder to lift planes.

“Southwestern airports, notably including Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport may have difficulties getting especially large aircraft off the ground,” he said.

And while it might feel like the Sahara in parts of the country, Florida is actually getting a piece of the African desert. A layer of Saharan dust is settling on the state, caused by strong winds that carry small sand particles from the Saharan Desert far across the Atlantic Ocean, the Miami Herald reported.

While it can make for colorful sunsets, it can be harmful to people with asthma and other respiratory issues.

What areas of the Americas have been affected by Saharan dust storms?

What areas of the US have been affected by Saharan dust storms?

The Saharan dust plume has reached Florida and the Gulf Coast, affecting the region's sunrises and sunsets.

How does Saharan dust affect immediate weather?

What areas of the Americas have been affected by Saharan dust storms?

What areas of the US have been affected by Saharan dust storms?

The Saharan dust plume has reached Florida and the Gulf Coast, according to the provided answer, which is consistent with the historical pattern of dust clouds from the Sahara affecting the southern U.S. and the Caribbean.

Title:

Content: An Unexpected Reason It'll Be Harder to Breathe as Earth Warms

If you think it's just human-made pollution that'll be clogging our lungs, think again.

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As global temperatures and emissions rise, it’s going to become harder to breathe. Air quality issues won’t just come from human activity, though—the natural world could also release more pollution in a rapidly warming world.

A recent study published in the journal Communications Earth & Environment found that a warming planet means more particles in the atmosphere, including dust and organic aerosols from plants. While we usually think of plants for their benefits to the environment, in certain circumstances they can actually release compounds that aren’t great for our respiratory systems.

Researchers at the University of California Riverside examined how air quality could change over time as temperatures and carbon dioxide increase. They looked at data from 13 models that participate in the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project, which compares climate data outcomes. Results from the models showed that increases in CO2 and hotter temperatures will create more global average concentrations of fine particulate matter, or PM2.5. The two largest contributors will come from dust and organic aerosols from plants. PM2.5 is particularly bad for humans: Long-term exposure is linked to lung problems, heart disease, and premature death.

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If global temperatures increase by 4 degrees Celsius, then dust and plant emissions are predicted to increase as much as 14%, according to the study. But if the world manages to stay within 2 degrees Celsius of warming, that increase in PM2.5 is about 7%. “The more we increase CO2, the more PM2.5 we see being put into the atmosphere, and the inverse is also true. The more we reduce, the better the air quality gets,” James Gomez, UC Riverside doctoral student and lead author of the study, said in a press release.

All plants produce chemicals that are called biogenic volatile organic compounds, or BVOCs (if you’ve ever smelled a freshly mown lawn, you’ve experienced these compounds). The BVOCs oxidize in the atmosphere and form organic aerosols; an increase in BVOCs could create public health issues. “Really anybody that has respiratory issues could be negatively impacted by air pollution,” Gomez told Earther. “Even an average healthy person who breathes in excessive amounts of air pollution could be negatively affected and develop respiratory issues.”

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The second largest contributor to the increase in naturally occurring air pollution would come from the Sahara Desert in Africa. Results from the models showed that a warmer world means changes in wind patterns. Remember the large dust cloud from the Sahara that traveled across the Atlantic Ocean and hovered over the southern U.S. and the Caribbean in 2020? Now imagine a bigger dust cloud. “We looked at the magnitude of the change,” Gomez said. “The dust events that do occur will be more likely to be stronger…The ones that happen would probably be larger.”

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The study did not consider other forms of air pollution caused by the natural world, like wildfire smoke, because that’s harder to place into climate models, according to Gomez. Because of that omission, he thinks the results are underestimating how bad PM2.5 pollution could become if emissions and global warming aren’t reigned in.

And that’s not even talking about human-caused pollution. Gomez pointed out that, even though human pollution was not calculated for here, human activity has led carbon dioxide to increase in our atmosphere. “Indirectly, we are causing these changes in the natural system,” Gomez said. “Nature is making the air pollution worse, as a result of our net actions.”

What areas of the Americas have been affected by Saharan dust storms?

What areas of the US have been affected by Saharan dust storms?