Latest news with #Meteorologists
Gizmodo
2 days ago
- Climate
- Gizmodo
A Gigantic Cloud of Saharan Dust Is Barreling Toward Florida
An enormous cloud of dust from the Sahara is floating westward over the Atlantic Ocean, heading straight for Florida. The densest part of the African dust plume has already reached the Caribbean and could blow into the Sunshine State by midweek, according to the National Weather Service office in Miami. When the dust rolls in, it will likely lead to drier local weather, diminished air quality, and exceptionally vivid sunrises and sunsets, meteorologists say. Around 1 p.m. on Monday, the NWS office in San Juan, Puerto Rico said that peak concentrations of Sahara dust were rolling into the area and were expected to arrive within the afternoon. The agency has issued multiple air quality alerts, as inhaling dust can irritate respiratory systems and worsen allergies, asthma, and other respiratory conditions. These particles can also trap heat near the ground, and as such, NWS San Juan has issued a heat advisory that will remain in effect through Tuesday. Southeasterly winds combined with the effects of the dust cloud are expected to keep temperatures above normal in many coastal and urban areas, the agency stated. At the end of last week, a thin veil of dust was already dispersing over Florida, NWS Miami meteorologist Ana Torres-Vazquez told Scientific American. By midweek, a thicker, denser plume will billow into the state, though meteorologists expect it will be patchier than the current conditions in the Caribbean. Some patches of dust could reach the rest of the Gulf Coast by late this week, according to The Weather Channel. Formally known as the Saharan Air Layer, or SAL, this mass of extremely dry, dusty air forms over northern Africa each year from late spring to early fall, according to NOAA's Atlantic Oceanographic & Meteorological Laboratory. It's created by ripples in the lower-to-middle atmosphere—called tropical waves—that track along the southern edge of the Sahara Desert and waft massive amounts of dust up into the atmosphere, Jason Dunion, a NOAA meteorologist, explained in a 2020 interview. Every three to five days, the SAL moves over the tropical North Atlantic Ocean in what's known as an 'outbreak.' This activity typically peaks from late June to mid-August, and during the peak period, outbreaks stretch farther west. Once or twice a summer, an SAL travels more than 5,000 miles to the Gulf Coast, blowing across states from Florida to Texas. That's precisely what's happening now, according to NOAA, which tracks the SAL using its GOES-16 satellite. The arrival of this SAL happens to coincide with the start of the Atlantic hurricane season, which officially began on Sunday, June 1. The warmth, dryness, and strong winds associated with this mass of dusty air have been shown to suppress tropical cyclone formation and intensification, according to Dunion. Thus, the SAL typically prevents hurricanes from taking shape. But despite this, meteorologists are already monitoring an area along the southeast coast for potential subtropical or tropical development. AccuWeather predicts that, over the next 10 days, dry air from the SAL will alternate with moist air over the Caribbean and off the coast of Florida. This may cause a zone of moisture to develop from South Florida to the Bahamas and Cuba early this week, potentially bringing several inches of rain and thunderstorms to the region. While the risk of tropical development is low, heavy rain could result in minor coastal flooding, rip currents, and rough surf by mid-to-late week, AccuWeather reports. On the bright side, Florida residents—and potentially those in other Gulf Coast states—can expect to see some especially breathtaking sunrises and sunsets this week, thanks to the SAL. That's because high concentrations of airborne dust enhance the bright red and orange hues that result from low-angle sunlight passing through the atmosphere, according to NOAA. The SAL could linger over the southeast for several days, though it's unclear when the dust will begin to dissipate. Meteorologists will be watching closely to see how its presence impacts air quality, visibility, and the early days of hurricane season.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Storm Team 3: Sunshine continues for the first day of Meteorological Summer and Hurricane Season
Happy Meteorological Summer and Happy *or not* Hurricane Season! We are once again going to be seeing nice and comfortable weather to end your weekend this Sunday. A hazy sky continues due to Canadian Wildfire smoke, but we're not expecting this to affect our air quality drastically, since it stays high in our atmosphere. Highs stay in the mid to upper 80s along with comfortable humidity levels. Highs along with moisture increase a little bit more for the start of your work week. We'll be closer to the low 90s for Monday and Tuesday along with a mix of sun and clouds. Moisture continues to increase into Wednesday and the end of the week. This is thanks to a cold front that develops to our west and begins to slowly make its way closer to our region. This allows for the chance of isolated rain and storms for Wednesday until the end of the week when it moves through. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Severe storms and Northern Lights possible Sunday across Colorado
Colorado could see strong to severe storms on Sunday, especially along the I-25 corridor and Eastern Plains. Large hail and damaging winds are possible. Then, skies may briefly clear just in time for a rare chance to see the northern lights near Denver. We break down the latest forecast, timing, and visibility tips.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Weather Alert: Flood warnings in effect for parts of New Hampshire
We're on a SEVERE WEATHER ALERT from the Boston 25 Weather Team due to a flood warning in parts of New Hampshire. This alert is in effect for portions of central and southern New Hampshire in Belknap, Merrimack, and Hillsborough counties until 7:45 PM, according to the National Weather Service. WATCH THE FORECAST | INTERACTIVE RADAR | DOWNLOAD THE APPS Follow our Boston 25 Meteorologists on Twitter for updates: Kevin Lemanowicz | Shiri Spear | Tucker Antico | Vicki Graf Stay Informed: Utilize MEMA's real-time power outage viewer to stay informed about current power outages in your community and region, and across the state, including information from utility companies about restoration times. Utilize MEMA's live weather radar and forecasting tools. MassDOT | MBTA | Logan Airport | Amtrak Online Resources: Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency - on Facebook and Twitter Mass211 Federal Emergency Management Agency National Weather Service/Boston National Weather Service/Albany, NY
CBS News
7 days ago
- Climate
- CBS News
Thursday in the Philadelphia region will be warmer after a dreary Wednesday. Here's the forecast.
Thursday will be a much nicer — and warmer — day after a pretty wet and dreary Wednesday in the Philadelphia region. The morning clouds and fog will lift by Thursday afternoon, giving way to a little sunshine and warmer temps, but also the chance for a passing shower or two. CBS News Philadelphia Generally speaking, we'll be dry but watching for that chance. Rain will, however, return on Friday as another storm system approaches the area. Right now, the timing looks to be an early wave in the morning, with another round late afternoon and evening, with an additional .5 inch to 1 inch possible in spots. A few more showers and cooler conditions are expected Saturday, but a much warmer and drier trend starts on Sunday. Meteorological summer begins on June 1, and for now, next week is looking like it will feel every bit like summer with high temps reaching the mid-80s! We'll keep you posted. 7-day forecast CBS News Philadelphia Thursday: Clouds to sun. High of 77, low of 57 Friday: Showers. High of 76, low of 63. Saturday: Showers, some sun. High of 69, low of 60. Sunday: Mostly sunny. High of 71, low of 53. Monday: Mostly sunny. High of 76, low of 54. Tuesday: Warming up. High of 82, low of 56. Wednesday: Staying warm. High of 85, low of 59. NEXT Weather Radars Hourly Forecast Get the latest weather info on the CBS News Philadelphia app
