A massive Sahara dust cloud blankets the Caribbean and threatens to reach the U.S. Gulf Coast.

A massive Saharan dust cloud, the largest of its kind this year, has blanketed the Caribbean and is moving towards Florida, Louisiana, Alabama, and Mississippi. The dust cloud, stretching over 3,200 kilometers from Jamaica to Trinidad and Tobago, has caused hazy skies and health issues for those with allergies and asthma. The dust concentration, measured at .55 aerosol optical depth, is the highest this year. The Saharan Air Layer, formed over the Sahara Desert and moving west across the Atlantic, can prevent tropical waves from forming during the hurricane season.