Saharan dust emerges off the coast of Africa keeping tropics quiet

NASA Worldview on May 12, 2021.

A plume of Saharan dust has emerged off the western coast of Africa. This air will likely be counterproductive for any storms to form ahead of schedule in the Atlantic Ocean. The Atlantic hurricane season officially begins on June 1.

In order for a hurricane to form, there must be warm and muggy air. Dust from the Sahara will make an airmass drier.

The dust is spreading across the Atlantic Ocean and as a result, the topical Atlantic remains quiet.

Ana will be the first named storm this year.