Sahara Sandstorm That Turns Sky Orange Could Hit UK Today
Cameron Frew
Featured Image Credit: Storyful
Saharan dust travelling across Europe may hit the UK later today, forecasters have said.
It wasn't too long ago that Britain was battered by three consecutive storms, with Eunice's 122mph gusts ranking among the fastest winds the country has ever experienced.
But don't worry, we're not looking at tree-toppling gales and floods. Storm Celia, which has already seen strong winds across Spain and the Canaries, will have a much different effect in the UK - something orange this way comes.
#StormCelia has already brought strong winds & travel disruption to the Canaries and will continue to move gradually eastwards over the coming days
— Met Office (@metoffice) March 15, 2022
Strong southerly winds on the eastern flank of #StormCelia have already lofted #SaharanDust into the atmosphere pic.twitter.com/ie2Zyd745y
Spain's national air quality index recently qualified Madrid and large swathes of the southeast coast as 'extremely unfavourable', coming as photographs and footage showed orange-tinted skies across the country.
It's the result of strong southerly winds on the eastern flank of Storm Celia lofting Saharan dust into the atmosphere, the Met Office explained in a tweet, and blanketing Spain's skies.
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This very dust cloud, said to be 2km above ground level, is now en route to the UK - however, don't expect the same Blade Runner 2049 skies across the country, as its impact is unlikely to be anything significant. If anything, it'll be visible at sunset, and it may fall during showers in southern parts of the country.
Looks like the Saharan Sand is starting to fill the U.K. skies again! Always seems to happen this time of year.
— Emily Powell (@lilminxem) March 16, 2022
If you’re looking outside and think everything looks orange, that’s why! #Saharansand #SaharanDust #orangeskies pic.twitter.com/gKDW7r0XbI
'Storm Celia over Spain is indeed pulling a dust cloud up from the Sahara, which could potentially reach as far as the south of the UK,' Richard Miles, of the Met Office, told the PA news agency, as per the Evening Standard.
'However, we don’t expect significant impacts – the most likely would be on the cloudscapes at sunset, but as conditions are likely to be generally overcast and wet for much of the day this is unlikely to amount to much. There are no air quality warnings.
'People in the south might find a bit of dust left on their cars as the rain washes it out of the skies today.'
Looks like the Saharan Sand is starting to fill the U.K. skies again! Always seems to happen this time of year.
— Emily Powell (@lilminxem) March 16, 2022
If you’re looking outside and think everything looks orange, that’s why! #Saharansand #SaharanDust #orangeskies pic.twitter.com/gKDW7r0XbI
Photos have already started to emerge on social media from people in the UK seeing a slight change to the sky. 'There is a Saharan Dust cloud over London right now. It’s really interesting to look at. I feel like i’m in a movie in real time,' one user wrote.
'Looks like the Saharan Sand is starting to fill the UK skies again! Always seems to happen this time of year. If you’re looking outside and think everything looks orange, that’s why!' another wrote. 'Saharan dust over London again?' another wrote alongside a snap of the capital's sky.
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