(Athens) A new episode of thick clouds of dust from the Sahara occurred on Tuesday in Athens and other regions of Greece, “one of the largest of this kind since 2018,” said Kostas Lagouvardos, director of meteorological research at the Athens Observatory.
“This is the most serious episode of concentration of dust and sand transferred from the Sahara since March 21 and 22, 2018 when thick clouds invaded especially the island of Crete,” says Kostas Lagouvardos.
These clouds giving the sky a yellow-orange color at the end of the afternoon are the result of strong southerly winds which have blown in recent days especially in the south of the country, transferring dust and sand from the Sahara, according to this specialist .
Since Monday “heavy concentrations of dust have flown over the country, having reached their maximum on Tuesday limiting visibility,” said a press release from the Greek meteorological service.
“Mud showers are expected mainly in the north and west of the country,” according to the weather forecast which predicts a reduction in the phenomenon on Wednesday.
The phenomenon mainly affects Attica, region of Athens, the Peloponnese and Crete (south) and the Cyclades islands in the Aegean Sea (east).
The most fragile people, suffering from respiratory problems, “should avoid going out”, warned the authorities.
Greece had been hit since the end of March by two similar episodes, which appeared in other European countries such as Switzerland or France, making the air difficult to breathe for many people.
This phenomenon was accompanied on 1er April with particularly high temperatures for the season in Greece, with the mercury reaching 30°C in Athens and 31°C on the nearby island of Euboea and in the Peloponnese.
In recent days the temperature has dropped, reaching 22°C in Athens on Tuesday.
The Sahara is the largest source of mineral dust, releasing between 60 and 200 million tonnes per year and while the larger particles fall quickly to the ground, the smaller ones can be transported thousands of kilometers and reach all of Europe .