Rainfall Prediction Illustration (IMAGE) Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Caption Top: Winds evaporate water from the subtropical North Atlantic ocean, leaving behind high levels of salinity during the spring. The exported moisture makes its way to the African Sahel, where it soaks the arid land and gradually builds up soil moisture over the course of three months. Bottom: The soil moisture couples with convection in the atmosphere to create a feedback loop that draws in additional moisture from the North Atlantic and Mediterranean. This increases precipitation during the summer African monsoon season. Credit Illustration by Jack Cook, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Usage Restrictions In stories associated with this research and with proper credit License Licensed content Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.