Saharan dust cloud headed for San Antonio area this weekend

The infamous Saharan dust cloud is headed for Texas this weekend.

The dust cloud is traveling slowly across the Atlantic Ocean and should hit Southeast Texas on Sunday morning.

The dust cloud can, at times, become quite massive. According to NASA, the 2020 dust storm was nicknamed Godzilla because it was so big that astronauts on the International Space Station could see it.

Most of the dust particles will stay suspended thousands of feet above the ground, which is why it will give a grayish tint to the sky. The dust can irritate people’s eyes, ears, noses, and throats with fine particles of silica and other minerals that can infiltrate lung tissue, aggravate sensitivities, and reduce visibility.

"Once inhaled, this dust can irritate a person's airways and cause respiratory issues — especially if that person suffers from an underlying airway or bronchial disease, such as asthma or COPD," said Dr. Tim Connolly, pulmonologist at Houston Methodist.

The dust cloud is also famous for creating some of the most beautiful sunrises and sunsets as light bounces off the dust particles, tapping all of the color spectrum.