A huge dust storm, which has made its way from the Sahara Desert, is set to engulf Florida and other parts of the US, with experts predicting it could be the size of 48 states. This giant cloud of dust is actually something called a haboob (stop laughing),

The dust from Africa spreads across the Atlantic during the early part of each hurricane season. Some of it has now reached Florida.

By the time the 5,000-mile trans-Atlantic traveler reaches the Gulf Coast — from Florida to Texas — it’ll lose some of its bite, but residents can still expect surreal sepia-toned skies, muggy heat and a spike in allergy attacks. The dusty invasion may look apocalyptic, but it’s all part of Earth’s strange seasonal ritual.

Saharan dust has begun to sweep throughout Florida, leaving behind hazy sunrises and sunsets. The dust plume is about 2,000 miles wide from west to east and 750 miles long from north to south, wrote AccuWeather hurricane expert Alex DaSilva in a report released June 2.

But what is less well known is that African dust is vital for our coral reefs. In fact, it would not be a stretch to say that the reefs as we know them, which surround Florida & the Bahamas, would not exist without thousands of years of dust plumes.

While the Atlantic is currently unfavorable for tropical development, there is a slight chance of a system forming near the coasts of North Florida through South Carolina. The likelihood of tropical activity in the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico is expected to increase by mid-June. (This story was updated to add new information.)