Lots Of Dust Haze In Barbados

[abajan]

For the past couple of days Barbados has been blanketed with a rather dense layer of dust from Africa. This afternoon one could easily stare at the sun without fear of damaging the eyes because it was so dim. And now it's night, there's hardly a star to be seen.

I haven't seen haze like this for some time. I hope it lets up soon because there are negative implications for allergy sufferers and asthmatics. Are any other members of S2K getting this haze?

[cycloneye]

Yes,here we are getting it too.Yesterday it was horrendous with a poor quality air advisory.Today it was a bit better with less haze.But for this weekend we expect more thick dust.

[Berwick Bay]

For the past couple of days Barbados has been blanketed with a rather dense layer of dust from Africa. This afternoon one could easily stare at the sun without fear of damaging the eyes because it was so dim. And now it's night, there's hardly a star to be seen.

I haven't seen haze like this for some time. I hope it lets up soon because there are negative implications for allergy sufferers and asthmatics. Are any other members of S2K getting this haze?

Abajan, I wouldn't be surprised if you guys are near major tropical activity this year. Just a hunch that the Cape Verde storms will be "surpressed" again this year, and that tropical formation might be closer to the Leeward Islands.

[HUC]

Also in Guadeloupe,haze like i'have rarely seen(and i watch the weather since ...1956!!!!) A milk atmosphere.
At this time,i don't know what it means for the huricane season,but one think is sure it that conditions favor the haze to travel in direct line from Africa.Should it will be the same for the futire CV Storms???Some specialist on this board can tell us???

[HouTXmetro]

Well a nice front pushed through most of the Gulf Coast so I doubt we get that dust state side.

[Anthonyl]

It has been the same here in Saint Lucia, with low visibilty for far extended distances.
I was making the note to my wife today how unusual the density of this Saharan dust is for May.

[msbee]

We've got it here too on St. Maaarten. I look at the hills and it looks like it is raining but it is just haze..
it lifted a little yesterday but this morning is back as heavy as ever.
You can see from the image that it is basically covering the whole Caribbean.

http://cimss.ssec.wisc.edu/tropic/real- ... split.html

Now I understand that as long as we have Saharan dust , it keeps the possibilities of hurricanes down.
Is this true? a scientific fact?
In that case, I'll vote for keeping the dust around for awhile

[tropicana]

my relatives down in Trinidad (southern caribbean) also have told me that they have had siginificant amouts of Sahara dust reported there, mixing in with locally dense smoke from rampant fires burning in the mountains and valleys. The island hasnt experienced significant rainfall for weeks, and has been plagued by a record stretch of hot weather, everyday this month has been at 33C (92F) or higher.
While hot weather isnt by itself unusual, the duration of this heat wave has been, and the rainy season which is due to start really soon, is being highly anticipated.

[Berwick Bay]

We've got it here too on St. Maaarten. I look at the hills and it looks like it is raining but it is just haze..
it lifted a little yesterday but this morning is back as heavy as ever.
You can see from the image that it is basically covering the whole Caribbean.

http://cimss.ssec.wisc.edu/tropic/real- ... split.html

Now I understand that as long as we have Saharan dust , it keeps the possibilities of hurricanes down.
Is this true? a scientific fact?
In that case, I'll vote for keeping the dust around for awhile

Yes I think the dust does help to suppress tropical activity. It is even thicker coming off the African Coast. So I think this will be another below par year for Cape Verde Storms. But as in '05 I think we can look for development as these waves progress westward toward the Leeward and Windward Islands and especially the lower Bahamas. I would pick these areas as best bets for tropical formation this year. Storms to move west then north into the Gulf of Mexico. This is what I "see".

[abajan]

Today there was a noticeable clearing of the dust. Also, we had some rain overnight and again this morning. What a relief! (This month has been very dry.)

EDIT (May 21, 2007 8:22 PM)
Today was gorgeous: blue sky with hardly any haze at all.