Athens, the beloved Greek city, is shrouded in an eerie orange haze as intricate dust clouds from the Sahara Desert wind their way over the region. The sight is nothing short of breathtaking, yet it’s a stark reminder of nature’s power, as it’s been declared one of the most severe instances since 2018.
This isn’t Greece’s first run-in with these alien-looking dust clouds this year. Back in late March and early April, similar occurrences took place, not just over Greece, but also parts of Switzerland and southern France. But relief is on the way. Come Wednesday, forecasts suggest a clearing in the skies.
Sadly, this fascinating natural phenomenon has a flip side. The sudden deterioration in air quality has rendered landmarks like Athens’ iconic Acropolis invisible. The reach of these dust clouds extends far, making their way to the northern city of Thessaloniki.
These conditions have spurred health warnings, urging those with breathing issues to minimize outdoor activity, don protective masks and avoid strenuous exercise until the dust clears. Sure, the orange hue hanging over Athens may be inherently enchanting, but it’s causing considerable distress for many locals with respiratory conditions.
The Sahara isn’t any stranger to these dramatic dust releases. Every year, an astounding 60 to 200 million tonnes of mineral dust are released from the world’s largest hot desert. While most of it descends rapidly to Earth, a small portion of these minute particles venture far away, sometimes even reaching Europe.
The atmosphere in southern Greece is currently proving challenging due to the heat and dust combo. It’s a stark resemblance to the stifling conditions on Mars, as pointed out by meteorologist Kostas Lagouvardos.
Compounding this weather sorcery, reports of 25 wildfires within 24 hours surfaced on Tuesday. One even ignited near a naval base on the island of Crete, where temperatures rose above 30C (86F), leading to the evacuation of homes and a kindergarten.
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Dust plumes from Sahara might not be a rarity in Europe, but their intensity can vary significantly. They’re seen most frequently during spring and autumn. This recent episode in the Eastern Mediterranean was sparked off by low pressure over Libya. This facilitated powerful southerly winds that carried high concentrations of Sahara’s dust and sweltering air into Greece on Tuesday. Locations like the Chania region of Crete witnessed temperatures surge to a record 36.6C.
The dust concentrations are anticipated to linger longer in the east on Wednesday. However, a cold front carrying cleaner, fresher air is expected to sweep in from the west. With a promise of more refreshing and cleaner air, along with temperatures cooling down to the season’s norm, the Eastern Mediterranean can look forward to a respite by the week’s end.