SAL in 2006

[senorpepr]

SAL is over-inflated like a German Mark of the 1920s.

Seriously... usually for every 500 posts on Storm2k regarding SAL, one is based on reality. The other 499 are based on an excuse.

A majority of the events that weather yahoos hoot and holler about are not actually SAL (dust from the Saharan Desert), but rather dry air from the continent, usually enhanced by subsidence from the "Azores High". Dusty air should not be confused with dry air.

Personally, I think a lot of people find a meteorological phrase and stick with it regardless to its validity--such as using SAL to describe any dry event. Another reason... people tend to see those NOAA WV images of the E Atlantic and when they see the color brown, they associated that with dust. However, brown doesn't mean dust--it means lack of water vapor or dry air.

[Derek Ortt]

a great way to determine if the dry air is associated with SAL is if the wave is screaming to the west, like Chantal in 2001. The SAL is almost always associated with a low-level easterly wind surge, along with the dry air. Last year, we did not have this wind surge

[windycity]

thankyou for your words of wisdom. I was one of those on the SAL bandwagon last year. Thats how one learns, from those who know more than you.