A large plume of desert dust will make its way to the Carolinas late this week into the weekend.
WYFF News 4 Chief Meteorologist Chris Justus said Saharan dust moving across the Atlantic Ocean is completely normal and a good thing as it helps deter tropical development.
Chris said the dust makes for more dry air and is usually accompanied by strong winds in the upper parts of the atmosphere that carry the dust. That combination leads to much lower tropical activity when the dust is present.
He said the high pressure weather pattern that is in place when the dust moves across the Atlantic Ocean will allow for more dust than usual to make it to the southeastern United States.
Chris said beginning Thursday you might notice a haze in the sky that will make for brilliant sunsets. Chris said the dust in the atmosphere will make the colors especially vibrant at sunset with the light reflecting off the dust particles.
For you allergy sufferers, Chris said the dust will be high up in the atmosphere and not much of it should make it to the surface. But if you suffer from respiratory issues it would be best to avoid strenuous outdoor activity late week through the weekend.