You may have noticed that it has been hazy along the Gulf Coast lately. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says the haze is caused by dust from the Sahara Desert in African and is riding the trade winds west across the Atlantic Ocean and reaching the Gulf Coast. It will probably be here for a few more days and NOAA says the dusty air may make the sunrise and sunsets a bit more colorful with a reddish tint. Because Saharan air is very dry it can help weaken any tropical waves that roll off the coast of Africa, preventing the formation of hurricanes.