These regions are under the influence of westerly winds, suggesting that the soot in question originated in Europe.

ECONOMIST: Pollution in the Himalayas

It prevents the more typical westerly winds coming in from the Atlantic Ocean and the associated rain bearing weather fronts.

BBC: Heatwave sees warmest UK April for more than 100 years

Here, near the settlement of Sesriem, westerly winds from the Naukluft Mountains to the east collide with the Atlantic winds, stopping the dunes' advance.

CNN: Romancing the dune in Namibia

It is a mode of atmospheric circulation in which the stratosphere is unusually warm and westerly winds, which normally bring warmth from the oceans to northern Europe, are unusually weak.

ECONOMIST: Britain��s cold snap is explained by the Arctic oscillation

An RNLI spokesman said the crews faced strong south-south-westerly winds and rough seas as the inshore lifeboat pulled the yacht off the rocks before the larger lifeboat took it under tow.

BBC: French yacht hits rocks outside Jersey's harbour

The configuration of the jet stream, a band of high-altitude westerly winds, also contributes, although its current position, to the far north above the continent, is not uncommon for summer, according to Mike Brewer, a physical scientist with the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration.

MSN: How Bad Is the US Drought?

Winds were coming in around 55 miles per hour in southern Massachusetts, with the heaviest winds along Horseneck Beack, Newport and Westerly, RI on the Conn border.

FORBES: Thar She Blew: Hurricane Irene Leaves Millions In The Dark

Several people did not take their boats out off the water at the Westerly Yacht Club, which was flooded by early morning and being bombarded with heavy rain, high winds and even a tornado warning.

FORBES: Thar She Blew: Hurricane Irene Leaves Millions In The Dark