It's making its way from Africa to Southwest Florida and it could cause some health problems for people.
We're talking about a huge plume of Saharan dust about to blanket the local area.
As allergy season is in full bloom for many people a huge plume of Saharan dust could soon make your symptoms worse.
Others however are looking at the benefits the Saharan dust plume could bring including 10-year-old Adriane Escobar and his siblings who set up a lemonade stand Friday in Centennial Park in downtown Fort Myers.
The blazing sun can drive people for a cold drink and the Escobar children were banking on that driving their pop-up business.
They now hope the dry Saharan dust could help drive sales of lemonade.
“I think they should wash it down because our lemonade is made with lemon,” said Escobar.
He stressed lemons could be good for the throat and many doctors stress lemons have nutrients and properties that are good for us.
Lee Health Pulmonologist Dr. Shyam Kapadia says Saharan dust can however be a health concern.
“Irritants to our mucus membranes, such as these dust particles can cause us to have increased mucus production, shortness of breath and cough,” Dr. Kapadia stressed.
He said he has many patients who have underlying pulmonary conditions like Asthma, COPD and congestive heart failure get concerned when Saharan dust plumes enter Southwest Florida’s atmosphere.
Those not impacted by the dust say they always know when it's present.
Spike Makia of Cape Coral said it can create beautiful sunsets with golden clouds.
NBC-2 Meteorologist Jason Dunning admits while the sunsets can be beautiful the dust has it’s benefits.
“We like Saharan dust when it comes to tropical weather because if you get enough of it in higher concentrations it can completely choke off the moisture supply of these tropical systems that need a lot of tropical moisture,” Dunning explained.
He has been pointing out in his daily forecasts that the dust can reduce the risk of tropical events in the early summer months.
“We're going to see round of round of these big plumes of Saharan dust making a journey across the Atlantic,” Dunning said.
That dust can promise more golden sunsets and the threat of a cough.
The Escobar children stressing maybe what everyone needs is a glass of lemonade to enjoy that next Saharan dust sunset.
An even bigger plume of dust is expected in Southwest Florida by mid-July.