Possible linkages between Saharan dust and tropical cyclone rain band invigoration in the eastern Atlantic during NAMMA-06
The Saharan Air Layer (SAL) is a dominant feature that influences the large-scale environment from West Africa to the western tropical North Atlantic. While the SAL can create hostile thermodynamic and kinematic environmental conditions for tropical cyclogenesis, it also provides an infusion of cloud condensation and ice nuclei which can potentially invigorate convection. Here we show that these mechanisms may have been involved with the development of Tropical Storm (TS) Debby and Tropical Depression (TD) 8 (later Hurricane Helene) in 2006. Satellite imagery and rawinsondes indicate SAL outbreaks just prior to the emergence of these disturbances over the extreme Eastern tropical Atlantic Ocean. Here we examine the invigoration of convective bands associated with TS Debby and TD-8 based on satellite and direct aircraft measurement. In-situ aircraft measurements show enhanced cloud water content, cloud and precipitation sized particles, lightning and a 26 ms-1 updraft just south of the SAL with TD-8.
document
https://n2t.org/ark:/85065/d7f76cr8
eng
geoscientificInformation
Text
publication
2016-01-01T00:00:00Z
publication
2008-04-30T00:00:00Z
An edited version of this paper was published by AGU. Copyright 2008 American Geophysical Union.
None
OpenSky Support
UCAR/NCAR - Library
PO Box 3000
Boulder
80307-3000
name: homepage
pointOfContact
OpenSky Support
UCAR/NCAR - Library
PO Box 3000
Boulder
80307-3000
name: homepage
pointOfContact
2025-07-17T15:58:31.451197