By Adriana Navarro From Accuweather

From volcanic ash to smoke to dust that suppresses tropical development, these extra particles in the atmosphere can help to create a dazzling display of color at sunsets.

For a few months out of the year, the Gulf Coast of the United States can be treated to more vibrant sunsets thanks to Saharan dust carried by trade winds across the Atlantic Ocean.

Although these sunsets are more notable around the Caribbean Sea, sometimes the dust spreads northwards to the Gulf Coast, near Florida and sometimes Texas, bringing picturesque sunsets with them.

“The dust causes the sky to be milky and hazy and not the more deep blue that is most common on sunny days,” AccuWeather Hurricane Expert Dan Kottlowski said.

A combination of the Coriolis Effect and an area of high pressurecause the trade winds, which have helped early traders and travelers cross from Europe and Africa to the Americas, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

The dust that these winds carry don’t just create stunning sunsets, however. It’s because of the influx of Saharan dust during June and July that hurricanes in the Atlantic Ocean aren’t as active as they are during August and September.

“The dust tends to suppress the development of showers and thunderstorms in the tropics, necessary for tropical development,” Kottlowski said. “This suppression is one of the reasons tropical development is strongly hindered during June and July. It is during these months where we see the greatest transport of dust across the southern North Atlantic.”

For more on this story go to: https://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-news/same-mechanism-that-suppresses-tropical-development-can-create-dazzling-sunsets/70008751