A new notes about the Saharan air layer (SAL)… *Dusty air from the African deserts carries upwards of 60 million tons of dust annually over the ocean and the Americas. *This phenomenon is not unusual. *The SAL has unique properties of warmth, dry air and strong winds that can act to suppress hurricane formation and intensification. *SAL activity typically ramps up in mid-June and peaks from late June to mid-August, with new outbreaks occurring every three to five days. During this peak period, i