A large plume of dust from the Sahara Desert is currently moving across the tropical North Atlantic and has the potential to reach North America. The dust could temporarily dampen the development of storm systems in the tropics, but could also impact air quality and increase the growth of ocean bacteria. The dust is expected to reach the Caribbean by late this weekend and the Gulf Coast in about a week. The dust is harmless, but could cause haziness and more vibrant sunsets. The Saharan Air Layer, which is the warm, dry desert air that accompanies the dust, could also decrease the likelihood of tropical storms or hurricanes forming in the short term.