Saharan dust to descend on South Florida over July Fourth weekend

• Large plumes of dust that originated in the Sahara Desert could begin causing hazy skies over South Florida this week.
• This is the season that plumes of dust from the Sahara Desert are usually carried across the Atlantic by wind — two clouds are moving west toward the US, according to AccuWeather.

Large plumes of dust originating in the Sahara Desert could begin causing hazy skies over South Florida this week, before eventually spreading out across the Gulf Coast.

This is the season that plumes of dust from the Sahara Desert are usually carried across the Atlantic by wind — two clouds are moving west toward the United States, according to AccuWeather.

"Some of the dust from the first cloud could drift over South Florida this weekend and South Texas early this week," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Dan Pydynowski said.

Airborne dust can produce hazy conditions, and can sometimes lead to colorful sunrises and sunsets.

The highest dust concentrations this weekend will range from the Caribbean to Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula, though dust will also drift over South Florida during the same period.

What is the Saharan Air Layer?

The dust is part of a phenomenon known as the Saharan Air Layer — a dry mass of air that forms over the Sahara Desert in late spring, summer and early fall, according to the Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory.

Sarah Perkel is a South Florida Connect Reporter for the USA TODAY Network's Florida Connect team. You can get all of Florida’s best content directly in your inbox each weekday day by signing up for the free newsletter, Florida TODAY.