In this study we examine the impact of soil moisture on the formation of the African Easterly Jet (AEJ) based on sensitivity experiments with the NASA Seasonal-to-Interannual Prediction Project (NSIPP-1) Atmospheric-land General Circulation Model. We further examine the relationship between the changes in the AEJ, and African Easterly Waves, and the implications for Hurricane development over the Atlantic and the Americas in both the model simulations and ERA40 reanalysis. The results are discussed in the context of the environmental impacts of ENSO and MJO on Atlantic cyclones/Hurricane development.