Saharan Dust Cloud Approaching Central Florida and Gulf Coast

The first round of Saharan dust from the Sahara Desert is expected to reach Florida late this weekend or early next week, with a potentially thicker plume arriving by next weekend. The dust is known for taming the tropics and lowering storm chances, but it can also cause air-quality issues for sensitive groups and fuel red tide and algal blooms. If the concentration of dust isn't too thick, it can enhance sunrises and sunsets, but if it is, it can result in dull or milky skies. The lack of dust at the start of the hurricane season likely contributed to the rare formations of tropical storms Bret and Cindy.