A massive cloud of dust from the Sahara Desert is currently drifting westward across the Atlantic Ocean, with its destination set for Florida.

The most concentrated part of the African dust plume has already arrived in the Caribbean and is expected to reach the Sunshine State by the middle of the week, according to a statement from the National Weather Service office in Miami. When the dust cloud arrives, it is likely to result in drier local weather conditions, reduced air quality, and exceptional sunrises and sunsets, as predicted by meteorologists.

On Monday at around 1 p.m., the National Weather Service office in San Juan, Puerto Rico announced that the peak concentrations of Sahara dust were moving into the area and were anticipated to arrive later that afternoon. The agency has released multiple air quality alerts, as inhaling dust can irritate the respiratory system and exacerbate allergies, asthma, and other respiratory conditions.

These particles can also trap heat near the ground, and as a result, the National Weather Service in San Juan has issued a heat advisory that will remain in effect until Tuesday. The combination of southeasterly winds and the effects of the dust cloud is expected to keep temperatures above normal in many coastal and urban areas, as stated by the agency.

By the end of last week, a thin layer of dust was already dispersing over Florida, according to NWS Miami meteorologist Ana Torres-Vazquez, who informed Scientific American. By midweek, a thicker, denser plume will move into the state, although meteorologists anticipate it will be patchier than the current conditions in the Caribbean. Some patches of dust could reach the rest of the Gulf Coast by the end of this week, according to The Weather Channel.

Formally known as the Saharan Air Layer, or SAL, this massive cloud of extremely dry, dusty air forms over northern Africa each year from late spring to early fall, according to NOAA’s Atlantic Oceanographic & Meteorological Laboratory. It is created by waves in the lower-to-middle atmosphere, known as tropical waves, which move along the southern edge of the Sahara Desert and carry massive amounts of dust up into the atmosphere, as explained by Jason Dunion, a NOAA meteorologist, in a 2020 interview.

Every three to five days, the SAL moves over the tropical North Atlantic Ocean in what is known as an “outbreak.” This activity typically peaks from late June to mid-August, and during the peak period, outbreaks stretch farther west. Once or twice a summer, an SAL travels more than 5,000 miles to the Gulf Coast, blowing across states from Florida to Texas. This is precisely what is happening now, according to NOAA, which tracks the SAL using its GOES-16 satellite.

The arrival of this SAL coincides with the start of the Atlantic hurricane season, which officially began on Sunday, June 1. The warmth, dryness, and strong winds associated with this mass of dusty air have been shown to suppress the formation and intensification of tropical cyclones, according to Dunion. Thus, the SAL typically prevents hurricanes from taking shape.

However, despite this, meteorologists are already monitoring an area along the southeast coast for potential subtropical or tropical development. AccuWeather predicts that over the next 10 days, dry air from the SAL will alternate with moist air over the Caribbean and off the coast of Florida.

This may cause a zone of moisture to develop from South Florida to the Bahamas and Cuba early this week, potentially bringing several inches of rain and thunderstorms to the region. While the risk of tropical development is low, heavy rain could result in minor coastal flooding, rip currents, and rough surf by mid-to-late week, AccuWeather reports.

On the positive side, residents of Florida—and potentially those in other Gulf Coast states—can expect to see some exceptionally breathtaking sunrises and sunsets this week, thanks to the SAL. That’s because high concentrations of airborne dust enhance the bright red and orange hues that result from low-angle sunlight passing through the atmosphere, according to NOAA.

The SAL could linger over the southeast for several days, though it’s unclear when the dust will begin to dissipate. Meteorologists will be closely monitoring its presence to assess its impact on air quality, visibility, and the early days of hurricane season.