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Saharan dust over the A96 in March: respiratory problems can occur in people who are already weak
Photo: MiS / IMAGO
After sunny days, the week is currently starting with showers and thunderstorms in many places in Germany.
Although the weather is expected to calm down again in the following days, a new weather phenomenon is approaching Germany from North Africa: dust from the Sahara.
According to the European Atmospheric Service Copernicus, a large cloud of dust is currently moving west across the Atlantic.
It should therefore already reach the Caribbean in these days.
Foothills are also expected on the Iberian Peninsula and in parts of Western Europe next weekend, it said.
The Atmosphere Service has already recorded large amounts of Saharan sand that had reached parts of Europe via the Mediterranean this year.
That also continues.
The phenomenon occurs several times a year, only in March Sahara dust had bathed parts of Germany in a bright yellow.
Drought in western and northeastern Germany
In addition to the discoloration of the sky, however, there was a layer of dust on cars, window panes and garden furniture that was sometimes unpopular.
In higher concentrations, the dust threatens to cause respiratory problems, especially in people who are already weak.
Even without dust, agriculture in this country in particular suffers from drought.
The lack of rainfall in many regions for weeks is causing problems for farmers in many places.
The upper soil layers in northern Germany and on the Rhine are also drier than the long-term average because of the recent very warm temperatures, says Andreas Brömser, agricultural meteorologist at the German Weather Service.
"It's significantly drier than usual in the west and north-east," said Brömser.
On the other hand, the soil moisture in the south and south-east is relatively normal, and even higher than usual in the Alps.
In the north it has rained relatively little in the past three to four weeks.
Whether this year will develop into a drought year like 2018 or 2019 cannot be said at the moment, says Brömser.
The water reserves at a depth of about 30 centimeters are still good.
apr/dpa
