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Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
What is the Saharan dust layer? What it means for hurricanes, weather in Florida
Saharan dust is back! A plume of dust carried by the wind all the way from the Sahara Desert is traveling thousands of miles through the atmosphere and is expected to skim over south Florida this week. During the late spring, summer and early fall, bursts of dust from the Saharan Desert are picked up by wind and form a big mass of dry, dusty air that sits about a mile up in the atmosphere at its lowest point. This mass of dry, dusty air is called the Saharan Air Layer (SAL), and its activity ramps up from mid-June through mid-August, when it moves over the tropical North Atlantic Ocean every three to five days. 'During this peak period, it is common for individual SAL outbreaks to reach farther to the west — as far west as Florida, Central America and even Texas — and cover extensive areas of the Atlantic (sometimes as large as the lower 48 United States),' NOAA's guide to the Saharan Air Layer says. This layer of dust can be good for keeping the tropics calm during hurricane season, but it can also affect people with allergies or respiratory issues. Here's what Saharan dust is, when the next plume is expected in Florida and how it affects hurricane formation. The Saharan Air Layer (SAL) is a yearly phenomenon in which plumes of dust from the Sahara Desert are picked up by the wind and 'ride' it across the ocean, being carried thousands of miles west. 'SAL outbreaks can form when ripples in the lower-to-middle atmosphere, called tropical waves, track along the southern edge of the Sahara Desert and loft vast amounts of dust into the atmosphere,' NOAA says. 'As the SAL crosses the Atlantic, it usually occupies a 2 to 2.5-mile-thick layer of the atmosphere with its base starting about 1 mile above the surface. The warmth, dryness and strong winds associated with the SAL have been shown to suppress tropical cyclone formation and intensification.' When it's present in the atmosphere, Saharan dust can make the sky look hazy and bring vibrant sunrises and sunsets. The most recent plume of Saharan dust has yet to hit Florida, but is expected to sometime late Friday night, according to FOX 13 Tampa Bay. 'The first rounds of Saharan dust are set to sweep over Mississippi and the Gulf Coast this weekend and in the first week of June. They'll keep coming all summer,' the Mississippi Clarion Ledger reported on Wednesday, May 28. Tropics watch: Tropical Storm Alvin may form in Pacific as National Hurricane Center tracking 2 waves When Saharan Dust mixes with rain, it makes "dirty rain." Like Saharan Dust, 'dirty rain' isn't toxic or dangerous, but can irritate you if you have pre-existing respiratory issues. 'Dirty rain' is just dust mixed with water and can leave a muddy residue behind on any exposed surfaces it falls on. You might remember the news talking about Saharan Dust and "dirty rain" in July last year. 'For Floridians, Saharan dust has helped quiet storm development in the Atlantic Ocean during the first half of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season,' the Pensacola Journal reported on July 22, 2024. While Saharan dust helped keep the first part of the 2024 hurricane season fairly calm, it didn't set the tone for the latter half of the season, which brought several major, devastating storms to the southeast late in the season. While there is Saharan dust present in the tropics, it has the power to stop new storms from forming and weaken already-existing storms. This is because tropical storms need warm, wet air to thrive and the dryness of the SAL undercuts the ideal conditions needed for storms to form and thrive as it passes over the Atlantic. Other than impacting the tropics, Saharan dust can also affect people with allergies. Since the Saharan Air Layer brings dry, dusty conditions, people with allergies might see a flare up when Saharan dust reaches Florida. The presence of extra dust and dryness in the air can irritate or inflame any existing allergies or respiratory issues you might have, like asthma. If you want to minimize the amount of mud or dust you inhale or have a pre-existing respiratory issue, avoid spending a lot of time outside or wear a face mask if you're out for an extended amount of time. Download your local site's app to ensure you're always connected to the news. And look for our special subscription offers here. This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Saharan coming to Florida: How it affects hurricane season
New York Post
23-05-2025
- Politics
- New York Post
Florida woman charged after allegedly attacking 72-year-old Trump supporter wearing MAGA hat
A Florida woman is facing multiple charges stemming from her alleged attack on a 72-year-old man who was wearing a 'Make America Great Again' hat earlier this week. Laura Garrett, 33, was arrested by the Largo Police Department on Tuesday for battery on a person older than 65, battery on a police officer and obstructing or resisting an officer without violence, according to Pinellas County Jail records. Garrett admitted she approached the man – who has not been publicly identified – at Northeast Park and Paw Place to ask him about President Donald Trump and why he supports him, according to an arrest affidavit obtained by FOX 13 Tampa Bay. The two got into an argument at some point during the confrontation. Garrett poured a can she was holding on the victim's head and hit him on the back of his head and shoulder area with it, the arrest report said. Garrett reportedly denied that she hit him with the can. Police said she jumped a fence and walked away after the attack on the man. 3 Laura Garrett was accused of attacking a man wearing a MAGA hat. Pinellas County Jail She was later located by police officers, whom she allegedly fought with while they were attempting to arrest her. The arrest report states that Garrett intentionally dropped to the ground when officers put her in handcuffs and that when an officer tried to escort her to the front of the park, she wrapped both of her legs around him and caused him to fall. The officer's knee was bruised during the incident, which is what prompted the second battery charge. 3 Garrett admitted she approached the man at Northeast Park and Paw Place to ask him about President Donald Trump and why he supports him, according to reports. Google Maps 3 Garrett allegedly jumped a fence and walked away after she attacked the victim. Getty Images Police said she continued to kick and pull away from arresting officers. Garrett was booked into the Pinellas County Jail Tuesday evening, but was released Wednesday night, jail records show.
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Florida man risks alligator encounter to save struggling bald eagle
A Florida man is being called a hero after swimming into a gator-inhabited lake to rescue a struggling bald eagle - and the dramatic moment was caught on camera. Doug Hay, 69, of Lakewood Ranch, heard a splash on April 19 and spotted a bald eagle flailing in the middle of the lake behind his home. He knew the water was home to at least one 7-foot alligator - but he didn't hesitate. "I saw the eagle smack in the middle of the lake," Hay told FOX 13 Tampa Bay. "And I knew that gator was in there." Despite the risk, Hay swam the 100-yard stretch, reaching the eagle, which immediately clamped onto his arm with its talons. Exhausted, Hay barely made it back to shore, where his wife captured the rescue on video. Justin Matthews, a local wildlife trapper, responded to Hay's call. "Doug said a gator went for the eagle - and backed off when he swam out," Matthews wrote on Facebook. "I saw the injury right away and got him to the rescue center. It could've been a bite." Wildlife officials believe the eagle may have been injured during a fight with another eagle seen circling overhead. According to the National Eagle Center, bald eagles can swim using their wings if they grab prey too heavy to lift, but this bird never had a chance. It was found with a serious wound to its chest, possibly from another eagle or a gator bite. Hay said in a Facebook comment that the lake is home to an alligator named Snoop. The Wildlife Center of Southwest Florida is now caring for the injured bird. The eagle had an "open hole" near its thoracic cavity and will take weeks to recover. Hay, who suffered scratches from the rescue, said he'd do it all again. "It's the symbol of America," he told reporters.
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Yahoo
Florida man accused of stealing Cybertruck during test drive returned to Tesla dealership days later
A Florida man is accused of stealing a Cybertruck during a test drive last month, then returning to the dealership at a later date to retrieve his belongings, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office. Dexter Smithen allegedly went to a Tesla dealership in Tampa, Florida, on March 26 to test drive a Cybertruck Cyberbeast after meeting with a sales person, according to a criminal affidavit seen by FOX 13 Tampa Bay. Smithen gave the sales associate his driver's license, which was confirmed to be his, and signed a test-drive agreement to return the truck to the dealership within 30 minutes of leaving, which he did not do, the document said. Florida Woman Points Pellet Gun At Kids Fishing Near Backyard, Threatened To 'Blow Their Heads Off': Officials Attempts to reach Smithen through the number he wrote on the test-drive agreement were unsuccessful. The sales associate also emailed Smithen demanding the return of the Cybertruck. A different sales associate used geolocation tracking to locate the truck on March 31 and told deputies that Smithen drove it to a Home Depot, parked and went inside the store, the affidavit stated. Read On The Fox News App That salesperson took cellphone video of Smithen walking in the parking lot before recovering the Cybertruck and reporting the crime to the HCSO. Texas Man Calls 911 After Injuring Himself During Alleged Car Dealership Break-in Smithen returned to the Tesla dealership on Tuesday to retrieve some of his items that he left in the Cybertruck, according to the affidavit. He was arrested at the business, and while he was being searched, a deputy said he found five credit cards with five different names. Smithen has been charged with grand theft of more than $100,000 and unlawful possession of personal article source: Florida man accused of stealing Cybertruck during test drive returned to Tesla dealership days later
Fox News
03-04-2025
- Fox News
Florida man accused of stealing Cybertruck during test drive returned to Tesla dealership days later
A Florida man is accused of stealing a Cybertruck during a test drive last month, then returning to the dealership at a later date to retrieve his belongings, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office. Dexter Smithen allegedly went to a Tesla dealership in Tampa, Florida, on March 26 to test drive a Cybertruck Cyberbeast after meeting with a sales person, according to a criminal affidavit seen by FOX 13 Tampa Bay. Smithen gave the sales associate his driver's license, which was confirmed to be his, and signed a test-drive agreement to return the truck to the dealership within 30 minutes of leaving, which he did not do, the document said. Attempts to reach Smithen through the number he wrote on the test-drive agreement were unsuccessful. The sales associate also emailed Smithen demanding the return of the Cybertruck. A different sales associate used geolocation tracking to locate the truck on March 31 and told deputies that Smithen drove it to a Home Depot, parked and went inside the store, the affidavit stated. That salesperson took cellphone video of Smithen walking in the parking lot before recovering the Cybertruck and reporting the crime to the HCSO. Smithen returned to the Tesla dealership on Tuesday to retrieve some of his items that he left in the Cybertruck, according to the affidavit. He was arrested at the business, and while he was being searched, a deputy said he found five credit cards with five different names. Smithen has been charged with grand theft of more than $100,000 and unlawful possession of personal identification.
