Latest news with #HurricaneResearchDivision
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
First Bouts Of Saharan Dust Are Reaching Caribbean, US. Here's What To Know About Its Impact On Hurricane Season And Your Health
The first big surge of Saharan dust is expected to reach the Gulf Coast this weekend and into next week. Here's what you need to know about this dust: In Brief: Saharan dust travels thousands of miles from Africa to the Americas each spring and summer. Once or twice a summer, one of these SALs makes a complete 5,000-plus mile journey as far west as the Gulf Coast, from Florida to Texas. In Depth: More formally, it is known as the Saharan Air Layer (SAL), this dry dust plume commonly forms from late spring through early fall and moves into the tropical Atlantic Ocean every three to five days, according to NOAA's Hurricane Research Division. The Saharan Air Layer is typically located between 5,000 and 20,000 feet above the Earth's surface. It is transported westward by bursts of strong winds and tropical waves as they move westward from Africa to the Pacific. Here are three things dust can do: 1. Drier air can squash thunderstorms and tropical systems: One of the reasons we don't start watching the stretch between Africa and the Caribbean for tropical activity in June and July is because of this dust. The dust is not only dry but also has a sinking motion in areas that it passes through. This is not favorable for thunderstorm growth. Tropical waves often have a rough time developing if they are enshrouded by the Saharan air layer. Dust can also zap other ingredients needed for tropical development. Saharan air can reflect sunlight before it can reach the Atlantic, slightly cooling the oceans. Stronger winds within the SAL also increase wind shear, which can either tilt or rip apart a tropical system. But as the dust and wind shear weaken ocean warmth will peak in the late summer months. That's why the heart of the hurricane season is from late August into October, during which 82% of a hurricane season's activity usually takes place. This same thunderstorm-squashing idea that is found in the tropics is also found when the dust gets closer to the Southeast. When dust is passing through, there is often a multiday drop in rain chances until the dust is gone. In Florida, this means there is a break in the rainy season, but that's not always good news. This pause in sea breeze thunderstorms allows Florida's typical high temperature of 90-92 degrees to rise by a few degrees without much of a drop in surface humidity. This can make it even more uncomfortable to be outside. Be sure to take breaks and keep hydrated. (For even more granular weather data tracking in your area, view your 15-minute details forecast in our Premium Pro experience.) 2. Dust can diminish air quality: When a Saharan Air Layer arrives, you'll typically notice hazier skies than usual for a summer day. This is your first signal that you may want to check the air quality. Health experts say the dust particles could trigger symptoms similar to springtime allergies or cause respiratory irritation for people with conditions like asthma or emphysema. If you are susceptible to breathing issues, you may want to limit your time outdoors or take a mask with you if you have to leave your home. 3. Particles can make for more beautiful sunrises and sunsets: If the air quality in your area isn't too bad, head outside early or late in the day. If you know that dust is overhead, you'll probably notice that your sunrises and sunsets appear more orange or reddish. This can make for some spectacular photos. MORE ON Hurricane Season's Opening Act: What To Expect In June What The 'Cone Of Uncertainty' Does And Doesn't Tell You Latest Hurricane Season Outlook Jonathan Belles has been a digital meteorologist for for 9 years and also assists in the production of videos for The Weather Channel en español. His favorite weather is tropical weather, but also enjoys covering high-impact weather and news stories and winter storms. He's a two-time graduate of Florida State University and a proud graduate of St. Petersburg College.
Miami Herald
28-02-2025
- Science
- Miami Herald
DOGE-led cuts at NOAA include layoffs of Miami-based hurricane and climate researchers
Hurricane and climate researchers in Miami were hit in the latest wave of cuts from Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency. The mass layoffs from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration — more than 600, according to the former agency head — include at least one high-profile meteorologist in Miami and another charged with integrating artificial intelligence into climate and weather predictions. 'Every office in NOAA was hit by these indiscriminate, misguided, ill-intentioned reforms,' said Rick Spinrad, former director of NOAA under President Joe Biden, in a press conference Friday afternoon. Spinrad said the cuts, especially of researchers who collect data that feeds into storm models, could erode the quality of hurricane forecasts going forward. 'It's not clear the planes will be able to fly and the ships will be able to go to sea, certainly not at the tempo we saw before,' he said. 'The quality of the forecast is likely to go down to some degree.' On Thursday afternoon, some NOAA staffers began posting on social media that they got 'the email' and lost their jobs as part of President Donald Trump's bid to slash staffing in the federal government. Andrew Hazelton, an assistant scientist with the Miami-based Hurricane Research Division, was among them. 'I don't want to make any comments other than I am exploring legal options in a couple of avenues,' he posted on X. Another weather researcher, Zach Lane, also posted on X that he lost his job helping NOAA perfect the use of AI and machine learning in climate and weather predictions. 'After nearly two weeks of overwhelming uncertainty, today it happened. I was fired from my dream of working at NOAA. I'm so sorry to everyone also affected,' he posted. Two sources who were familiar with the matter confirmed another researcher in the Keys National Marine Sanctuary is also leaving, after the longtime scientist took the buyout offered by Musk's DOGE agency earlier this month. The true scope of the cuts was unclear Friday afternoon. All requests for comment to NOAA, the National Hurricane Center and the Hurricane Research Division were unanswered. Instead, officials provided a statement saying the agency does not comment on internal personnel matters. 'NOAA remains dedicated to its mission, providing timely information, research, and resources that serve the American public and ensure our nation's environmental and economic resilience. We continue to provide weather information, forecasts and warnings pursuant to our public safety mission,' the statement read. 'Uncontrolled free fall' During the Friday press conference, Democratic lawmakers stressed that these cuts were 'a pillar of Project 2025,' a conservative road map to a smaller government that was widely publicized and circulated ahead of Trump's most recent election. In it, the drafters of the plan outlined a strategy to privatize NOAA and its weather data. 'The National Weather Service is a public good. We all benefit from that information. They want to turn it over to someone who will make a big profit off it, who will charge Americans for the products they get now as part of the common good,' said Sen. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland. Mark Eakin, a recently retired NOAA veteran who ran its Coral Reef Watch program for many years, told the Miami Herald he was alarmed by the 'indiscriminate' slashes throughout the agency, which oversees everything from cutting-edge climate research to day-to-day operations that farmers and fishers rely on, as well as life-saving weather warnings. 'We're going to see people die as a result of this totally uncontrolled free fall they're putting agencies into,' he said. Eakin said current employees are scared their jobs could be next, no matter how glowing their recent performance reviews or how crucial their duties are. He also worries that important information on the effects of climate change could be lost at the whim of new political operatives overseeing the agency. 'In the first Trump administration, we made backup plans for various data sets stored elsewhere — just in case. I hope that that's being done now because key data could be lost,' he said.
