Since Tuesday, a cloud of sand has been flying over France and Europe.
This one comes straight from the Iberian Peninsula and gives the sky an orange color.
According to the European Center for Meteorological Forecasts (CAMS), Saharan dust began to move from February 20, from “
the Iberian Peninsula and France towards northern and central Europe
”.
It will move “
further north and east in the following days
”.
The organization warns: this sand “
can have harmful effects on health, in particular the aggravation of allergies due to the irritants contained in the dust and respiratory problems resulting from the reduction in the quality of the air”
.
The phenomenon has been quite recurrent for several years, notes Régis Crépet of La Chaîne Météo.
He performed several times last year: twice in March, in April and in November.
How to explain the recurrence of the phenomenon?
We talk about sand, but in reality it is rather small fine particles of natural origin that settle on cars in France.
Unlike real sand on the beach, this one does not fit in your hand: "
It's desert dust
," says Régis Crépet of
La Chaîne Météo
.
“This phenomenon has probably always existed”
“
This sand surely comes from a sandstorm which occurred in the Sahara desert
”, comments Régis Crépet.
"
For this sand to go up to France, there must be a wind that comes from the South, from North Africa, from the countries of the Sahara such as Algeria, Tunisia or Morocco",
specifies he.
“
Megatons of dust are then lifted and transported in the atmosphere by the winds
”.
"
In certain meteorological situations, the wind goes up to France, sometimes to Belgium or to Germany
", he continues.
According to the meteorologist, “this
phenomenon has very probably always existed
”.
It just wasn't measured or modeled.
“
It is true, however, that we have seen a recurrence over the past three years
,” he concedes.
In March 2022, the snow on the Pyrenees had turned orange.
This photograph taken on March 15, 2022 shows overnight sand from the Sahara covering the snow, in the ski resort of Piau-Engaly, in southwestern France.
BASTIEN ARBERET / AFP
For this phenomenon to occur, you need a southerly wind.
And for the wind to come from the south, you need depressions and anticyclones located on the Atlantic Ocean, off Portugal.
However, “
for the past 2-3 years, we have observed quite unusual depressions positioning themselves off Portugal
”.
And it is this depression which is at the origin of this sand dust.
But not only: “
It's no coincidence that we experience relatively hot summers and springs.
This wind brings up the south wind but it also brings up the hot air
, ”concludes the meteorologist.
*
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