UK residents have been waking up to their vehicles covered in an unusually thick layer of dust.
From September 7, once sparkly clean cars have been smeared in splotchy brown dust layers as a result of strong winds blowing over from the Sahara Desert.
A dust cloud was blown more than 1,200 miles across Europe which often happens when accompanied by a plume of warmer air, such as the heatwave some have been experiencing this week.
READ MORE: Marks & Spencer's 'vibrant' £39 dress that 'falls nicely over curves'
Explaining how the dust travels so far, the Met Office said: As in other parts of the world, the wind can blow strongly over deserts – whipping up dust and sand high into the sky. If the winds in the upper part of the atmosphere are blowing north, the dust can be carried as far as the UK.
"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. In order for the dust to get from up in the sky down to the ground, you need something to wash it out of the sky – rain.
"As raindrops fall, they collect particles of dust on the way down. Then when the raindrops land on something and eventually evaporate, they leave behind a layer of dust."
As the weather turns to autumn it is expected the dust cloud will clear over the UK within the next few days. So you might want to put off washing the car until the end of the week.
Don't miss the biggest and breaking stories by signing up to the Echo Daily newsletter here
Win a 5-night holiday to the Turkish coast at Cook’s Club Adakoy Hotel