Saharan dust cloud sweeps over UK covering cars in an orange powder

This was the dust left on a car in Stourbridge in the West Midlands on Thursday morning

On Thursday parts of the UK woke up to hazy skies and a thin layer of orange dust covering many things outside - like cars and windows.

The dust is from the Sahara desert in northern Africa, it's moved through the air across Europe and all the way to the UK.

The Met Office - which monitors UK weather - shared satellite pictures that showed clouds of dust approaching Britain from the east.

"Once it is lifted from the ground by strong winds, clouds of dust can reach very high altitudes and be transported worldwide, covering thousands of miles," the Met Office website says.

"If the winds in the upper part of the atmosphere are blowing north, the dust can be carried as far as the UK."

Satellite pictures showed clouds of dust approaching Britain from the east

What is Saharan dust?

Many adults have been posting pictures of their vehicles covered in the orange dust on social media - which is a bit unlucky if they had already cleaned their car this week!

In a phenomenon that is sometimes called 'blood rain', the orange desert sand was brought down on areas that had rain showers first thing on Thursday morning.

It happens when fine particles of Saharan sand gather in rain droplets in clouds, falling to the ground when it rains.

When fallen rain evaporates, it leaves a thin layer of dust on surfaces.

This photo of Thursday's sunrise was taken in South Cambridge and was made all the more spectacular thanks to the Saharan dust in the air

Although the Saharan sand has left lots of things looking a bit mucky, the orange dust in the air could also result in some spectacular sunsets on Thursday evening and sunrises on Friday morning.

The Met Office added that "Saharan dust is relatively common in the UK often happening several times a year when big dust storms in the Sahara coincide with southerly wind patterns."

The dust can affect air quality and pollution levels, so people with conditions such as asthma should be extra careful.