how to explain this phenomenon which crosses Western Europe

For several days, an exceptional quantity of dust from the Sahara has been transported across Europe, via Spain, the south and east of France, Germany and the Scandinavian countries.

The Sahara dust cloud, which has been crossing Western Europe since Saturday April 6, contains sediments, very small sand dust of less than 10 micrometers essentially, therefore finer than a hair. When strong winds sweep across deserts, these dust clouds can reach very high altitudes and then be carried by airflows around the world for thousands of kilometers.

Satellite monitoring shows that these clouds can reach Europe but also cross the Atlantic towards the Caribbean or the Gulf of Mexico, as happened in July 2020. For three days, an exceptional quantity of dust from the Sahara has therefore been transported across Europe, via Spain, the south and east of France, Germany and the Scandinavian countries, indicates the European Copernicus observatory. A phenomenon which has contributed to degrading air quality.

More frequent episodes

Is there a health risk? Exposure to fine particles, such as PM10, can trigger allergic reactions or respiratory inflammation in sensitive people, but this depends on the concentration of the fine particles and the altitude of the cloud. On Monday this plume of dust further degraded the air quality in Occitanie, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Burgundy-Franche-Comté, according to measurements from the ATMO network. It is nevertheless in the process of being evacuated. Sensitive people are, on Tuesday, more likely to be bothered by the presence of pollen, particularly from birch, ash, and plane tree, than by the sand of the Sahara.

This cloud of dust from the Sahara is the third to reach France in the space of 15 days. If these clouds have always existed, the Sahara being the largest source of mineral dust in the world (it releases 60 to 200 million tonnes per year), the European Copernicus Observatory indicates that the intensity and frequency of its episodes have increased in recent years. This could potentially be attributed to changes in atmospheric circulation and rising temperatures. It is still difficult to certify that this has a link with climate change, even if it is clear that the repetition of droughts favors the presence of sediments and dry dust on the ground… and therefore potentially their flight.