Saharan Dust Blankets Atlantic Basin As Hurricane Season Officially Begins

Added: 2026-06-02

[00:00:00]take it off the start of the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season with specials all week long. So, you want to make sure that you stay tuned to see your favorites like hurricane specialist Brian Norcross and so much more.

[00:00:12]>> So, let's go ahead and start today with an open look at the tropics. What is the Atlantic basin looking like on June 1st, the beginning of our 2026 hurricane season? Well, we got some Saharan dust that is just stretching its way across the basin, not a shocker. That is exactly what we anticipate for the beginning of hurricane season. So, so far Mother Nature is playing by the rules. Uh there's a look at the bulletin from the National Hurricane Center, a good sight on a June 1st, no tropical activity expected in the next 7 days.

[00:00:40]>> Again, one of the reasons why is just the main development region is so cool right now. Water temperatures in the 70s, but there's also a bunch of dust in there.

[00:00:49]>> Yeah, that that's a great combination.

[00:00:51]Uh obviously with the cool water, we don't have enough heat to sustain tropical systems, but if that wasn't the case, at least we do have the dust as a protective element. Now, the dust is going to kind of inhibit our shower and thunderstorm activity, but also knows that we have plumes of dust get into the Gulf as we go closer to this weekend.

[00:01:10]Sometimes that can add a haziness to the sky for places like Atlanta, San Antonio, Houston, Florida, of course. Uh but it can also lead to a really beautiful sunrises and sunsets. On the weather side, it does inhibit shower activity. So, if you have any sort of vacations cuz now we're in summer vacation mode. Love that for everyone.

[00:01:29]Uh the Caribbean is going to have less rain uh cuz we do have the Saharan dust.

[00:01:33]>> Yeah, which is great news if especially if you're doing any Caribbean cruises.

[00:01:36]And when you look at where the average line is, that's the red line, we're just a smidge below it. Um and that's where we'll stay at least for the foreseeable future, but once we get to the latter half of the hurricane season, that's really when things begin the dust really begins settle if you will.

[00:01:52]>> Yeah, a lot of people call August like the reawakening. Uh that's when water temperatures are warm, the dust has surpassed. So, again, kind of coincides with the peak of hurricane season for those reasons. So, we typically should be starting the season off on a quiet note. Michael, you mentioned the water temperatures. So, right now across the main development region, we have 70s. We need 80° or warmer, and not just at the surface. We need about 150 ft of warm water that is at least 80° for tropical system to sustain itself. So, that's just not present right now. But, to be honest, it's not the main development region that we look at for tropical development at the beginning of season.

[00:02:31]A lot of that is because of the water temperatures. It usually happens close to home, and right now temperatures are above average in the Gulf, kind of split across the Caribbean, some cooler spots that are still out there. But, this is what I find interesting. Our water temperatures in the main development region, again, under par, which is what we anticipate. They should be under 80°.

[00:02:49]But, notice that they are above average.

[00:02:53]So, does that trend last through August when the water temperatures will be above 80°?

[00:02:59]Hopefully not, because more heat, more fire, more issues.