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Description
A mass of very dry, dusty air, known as the Saharan Air Layer, blowing off thecoast of Africa into the eastern Atlantic Ocean. The SAL can have significantnegative impact on tropical cyclone intensity and formation. Its dry air canact to weaken a tropical cyclone by promoting downdrafts around the storm whileits strong winds increase vertical wind shear around the storm environment. (Image credit: NOAA/NASA/NESDIS Environmental Visualization Laboratory; Suomi NPP Satellite's VIIRS instrument)