Wacky Weather: Dust Storm and Hurricanes

Whoa didn't think you would hear those two words in the same title did you? A large dust storm just came off the North African coast and looks like it may hinder hurricane formation for the first part of August.

A combination of dry air and dust will both cool the ocean and lower moisture levels over the Atlantic Ocean. Now when I say cool I don't mean the ice age is coming. It will only cool about 1°C but in ocean terms this is very significant. 

As meteorologist enthusiast you must have thought the same thing I did when I first heard this, wouldn't this enhance cloud formation? When I took Atmospheric Physics, it was taught by a cloud physicist, who told me dust and salt particles can be the basis of cloud formation. However after further research about my inquiry, I found that more low-level clouds will cool the sea surface as well, which would not aid hurricane formation.

Photo/Idea From:
WashingtonPost.com
wunderground.com