Tim Schuring

Heavy rain is moving across... the Sahara Desert? 🤔 Mali and Mauritania are experiencing unusually high levels of rainfall right now. This may be one reason why the Atlantic has had so few hurricanes so far. Tropical waves, which often develop into hurricanes, have not been emerging as strongly from central Africa. One key factor for the formation of tropical waves is the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ). It has shifted farther north than usual. This, combined with a record positive North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), has altered weather patterns across the Atlantic and Africa. This shift has led to more rain in regions like the Sahel and the Sahara Desert, where Mali and Mauritania are located. And so far, fewer hurricanes. If the ITCZ returns to a more typical position, we could see an increase in tropical wave activity, and more storm formation.