A wave of Saharan dust "of exceptional intensity" hits Europe. Here's what's happening in Romania
The Saharan dust wave is the third of its kind to reach Europe in the last few weeks but has been classified as having "exceptional intensity" by the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) of the European Union.
The dust wave traveled through most of Spain to reach southeastern France, Germany and the southeast corner of Great Britain, according to Sky News.
Related
- We are in the midst of a climate crisis. Europe is the continent warming most rapidly
- Climate crisis intensifies: Record temperature for the 10th consecutive month
- The warmest March ever recorded. Temperature records in the last ten months
- The warm weather has generated an unexpected phenomenon in Romania. The historical record set in the country
- What effects can Saharan dust have. Is it dangerous or not?
It brought hazy skies and colorful sunsets to many regions, leaving deposits of dust on cars and windows. But it also brought air pollution with small particles "PM10" - which are small enough to be inhaled - exceeding the EU's safe threshold in some regions.
People in southern and eastern Spain have been left breathing particularly dirty air, and in some stations, PM10 concentrations were four times above the healthy limit.
The latest episode, which began on April 6th, is the third of its kind to reach Europe in the last few weeks.
The European Union's Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) has termed the current dust wave "of exceptional intensity".
The two previous dust waves lingered longer in the south, over the Mediterranean and southern Europe, although some residues were found on cars even in Scandinavia, in March.
The episode is expected to gradually end, reaching Sweden, Finland, the Baltic states and northwestern Russia, CAMS said.
Meteorologists announced on April 9th that the air circulation above the European continent would not favor the penetration of an air mass loaded with dust particles over Romania, in the period from April 9th, 5:00 PM to April 11th, 6:00 PM.
"During the period from April 9th, 5:00 PM to April 11th, 6:00 PM, the air circulation above the European continent will not favor the penetration of an air mass loaded with Saharan-origin dust particles over Romania", the National Meteorological Administration announced on April 9th, according to News.ro.
The cited source specified that there would be no precipitation during the warning period.
