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Hurricane Dust | National Geographic


when hurricane Lily hit the Louisiana

when hurricane Lily hit the Louisiana Shore back in 2002 it didn’t do much

Shore back in 2002 it didn’t do much

Shore back in 2002 it didn’t do much damage but it did leave meteorologists

damage but it did leave meteorologists

damage but it did leave meteorologists at the National Hurricane Center very

at the National Hurricane Center very

at the National Hurricane Center very confused this a loop behind me you can

confused this a loop behind me you can

confused this a loop behind me you can see Lily coming in across Cuba it became

see Lily coming in across Cuba it became

see Lily coming in across Cuba it became a category 4 hurricane right here in the

a category 4 hurricane right here in the

a category 4 hurricane right here in the central Gulf of Mexico but then it

central Gulf of Mexico but then it

central Gulf of Mexico but then it weakened down to a category 1 hurricane

weakened down to a category 1 hurricane

weakened down to a category 1 hurricane at landfall dr. max Mayfield is the

at landfall dr. max Mayfield is the

at landfall dr. max Mayfield is the former director of the National

former director of the National

former director of the National Hurricane Center he says that over the

Hurricane Center he says that over the

Hurricane Center he says that over the years his team got better and better at

years his team got better and better at

years his team got better and better at predicting a hurricane struck but what

predicting a hurricane struck but what

predicting a hurricane struck but what we don’t do a good job at is catching

we don’t do a good job at is catching

we don’t do a good job at is catching the rapidly changing hurricanes the ones

the rapidly changing hurricanes the ones

the rapidly changing hurricanes the ones that rapidly intensify like lily and the

that rapidly intensify like lily and the

that rapidly intensify like lily and the ones that rapidly diminished like Lily

ones that rapidly diminished like Lily

ones that rapidly diminished like Lily did before landfall and being able to

did before landfall and being able to

did before landfall and being able to predict a Hurricanes intensity is

predict a Hurricanes intensity is

predict a Hurricanes intensity is vitally important you really do have to

vitally important you really do have to

vitally important you really do have to know the intensity of the hurricane

know the intensity of the hurricane

know the intensity of the hurricane because the evacuation plans are based

because the evacuation plans are based

because the evacuation plans are based on not just where the hurricane is going

on not just where the hurricane is going

on not just where the hurricane is going to hit but on how strong it is and

to hit but on how strong it is and

to hit but on how strong it is and there’s a big big difference between the

there’s a big big difference between the

there’s a big big difference between the category 1 hurricane that might have 4

category 1 hurricane that might have 4

category 1 hurricane that might have 4 to 5 feet of storm surge person and the

to 5 feet of storm surge person and the

to 5 feet of storm surge person and the category 5 hurricane that could have

category 5 hurricane that could have

category 5 hurricane that could have above 20 feet of storm surge learning

above 20 feet of storm surge learning

above 20 feet of storm surge learning what factors ultimately help in

what factors ultimately help in

what factors ultimately help in predicting a hurricane strength is the

predicting a hurricane strength is the

predicting a hurricane strength is the first step

first step

first step one factor in helping to predict how

one factor in helping to predict how

one factor in helping to predict how strong a hurricane could be the Saharan

strong a hurricane could be the Saharan

strong a hurricane could be the Saharan air layer this is the warm dusty air

air layer this is the warm dusty air

air layer this is the warm dusty air that blows off of Africa the dust in the

that blows off of Africa the dust in the

that blows off of Africa the dust in the Saharan air layer can actually act to

Saharan air layer can actually act to

Saharan air layer can actually act to change the microphysics in the clouds

change the microphysics in the clouds

change the microphysics in the clouds and actually reduce the hurricane

and actually reduce the hurricane

and actually reduce the hurricane activity and even the thunderstorm

activity and even the thunderstorm

activity and even the thunderstorm activity it can also warm the Saharan

activity it can also warm the Saharan

activity it can also warm the Saharan air layer and create what we call a

air layer and create what we call a

air layer and create what we call a temperature inversion which makes it

temperature inversion which makes it

temperature inversion which makes it very hard for the thunderstorm tops to

very hard for the thunderstorm tops to

very hard for the thunderstorm tops to bubble up through the atmosphere it also

bubble up through the atmosphere it also

bubble up through the atmosphere it also contains a lot of strong winds that

contains a lot of strong winds that

contains a lot of strong winds that create vertical wind shear and very dry

create vertical wind shear and very dry

create vertical wind shear and very dry air that really knocks the punch takes a

air that really knocks the punch takes a

air that really knocks the punch takes a punch out of hurricanes Jason Dunn ioan

punch out of hurricanes Jason Dunn ioan

punch out of hurricanes Jason Dunn ioan is meteorologist with NOAA’s hurricane

is meteorologist with NOAA’s hurricane

is meteorologist with NOAA’s hurricane research division he believes the

research division he believes the

research division he believes the Saharan air layer is a major force in

Saharan air layer is a major force in

Saharan air layer is a major force in predicting which hurricanes boom and

predicting which hurricanes boom and

predicting which hurricanes boom and which ones go bust researchers can now

which ones go bust researchers can now

which ones go bust researchers can now see both the hurricane and the Saharan

see both the hurricane and the Saharan

see both the hurricane and the Saharan air layer at the same time we can track

air layer at the same time we can track

air layer at the same time we can track the Saharan air layer seeing it here in

the Saharan air layer seeing it here in

the Saharan air layer seeing it here in orange and yellow and hurricane Aaron

orange and yellow and hurricane Aaron

orange and yellow and hurricane Aaron and you can see that the system actually

and you can see that the system actually

and you can see that the system actually becomes enveloped by the Saharan air

becomes enveloped by the Saharan air

becomes enveloped by the Saharan air layer and this could be one of the

layer and this could be one of the

layer and this could be one of the reasons why this system struggled early

reasons why this system struggled early

reasons why this system struggled early on but later in the time period you can

on but later in the time period you can

on but later in the time period you can see Aaron pops out of the Saharan air

see Aaron pops out of the Saharan air

see Aaron pops out of the Saharan air layer and rapidly intensifies into a

layer and rapidly intensifies into a

layer and rapidly intensifies into a major hurricane the next step is for

major hurricane the next step is for

major hurricane the next step is for researchers to learn more about the

researchers to learn more about the

researchers to learn more about the Saharan air layer with this new

Saharan air layer with this new

Saharan air layer with this new satellite technology that we have we can

satellite technology that we have we can

satellite technology that we have we can actually track this hair in air layer

actually track this hair in air layer

actually track this hair in air layer and send our know and airforce hurricane

and send our know and airforce hurricane

and send our know and airforce hurricane hunters out to the Saharan air layer and

hunters out to the Saharan air layer and

hunters out to the Saharan air layer and sample it using GPS drop wind signs and

sample it using GPS drop wind signs and

sample it using GPS drop wind signs and they can help us measure the strong

they can help us measure the strong

they can help us measure the strong winds and very dry air in the air layer

winds and very dry air in the air layer

winds and very dry air in the air layer and that may help us understand how the

and that may help us understand how the

and that may help us understand how the Saharan air layer interacts with

Saharan air layer interacts with

Saharan air layer interacts with hurricanes and ultimately this research

hurricanes and ultimately this research

hurricanes and ultimately this research is all about making our lives a lot

is all about making our lives a lot

is all about making our lives a lot safer

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