Saharan Dust

[naplesdon]

I have seen some of the coverage of the dust storm blanketing Spain and parts of France as far north as Bordeaux. I have seen no comments on the Forum. I have a friend starting from Sarria tomorrow and asked him to let me know what he is experiencing.

 

[JohnLloyd]

I've seen reference to this landing in the UK today.

 

[naplesdon]

When I volunteered at San Anton we had a similar event during the middle of the summer along with the dust came some really nasty mosquitos.

 

[mspath]

Here in champagne near Chateau Thierry we had a dust/sand drop last evening. All was umber or cream colored but further south it was deep orange. Our vegetation now has a bit of a crust from the sand.

 

[Friend from Barquinha]

I have seen some of the coverage of the dust storm blanketing Spain and parts of France as far north as Bordeaux. I have seen no comments on the Forum. I have a friend starting from Sarria tomorrow and asked him to let me know what he is experiencing.

Reporting in from central Portugal:

This is our second day of the dust. Very fine; visible in atmosphere as "golden cloudiness." Local weather people are recommending that elderly, small children, and those with respiratory issues not go outside. Reminds me of when we had forest fires in Canada, with the smoke from far away being blown into our area. Not pleasant walking; you can definitely feel it in your throat.

Madrid area, and further southeast in Spain are getting it as well.

From Twitter, a photo showing central Lisbon yesterday. This is what it's like here, as well:



And again yesterday, from Murça, in Spain:

 

[jungleboy]

Lisbon today:

 

[MinaKamina]

Satellite picture today.

 

[ivar]

Yes, I feel it too in Santiago. More yesterday.. I guess if you have asthma it might become a problem. Crossing my fingers that it will be fine in a few days.

 

[Mark Day]

Up until about an hour ago the sky here in Essex in the UK was very orange. It's been raining and my car is covered in red sand.

 

[Jeff Crawley]

Up until about an hour ago the sky here in Essex in the UK was very orange. It's been raining and my car is covered in red sand.

A very strange look to the sky across the estuary from you but, as the kidney said to the gallstone, this too shall pass.

 

[amancio]

This is the view from my bedroom yesterday, South of Granada, health authorities recommend no physical activities outdoors, and wear a good FPP2 grade at least, it looks like it will stay like this, with different intensities, till Thursday at least. I am not sure it is a good idea to be walking on days like these, the air quality in Granada, for example, was the worst for years yesterday.

 

[natefaith]

Yes, it was supposed to be sunny yesterday in Santiago and by mid-day there was an orange/yellow haze all around. At first, we thought it was a forest fire in the surrounding hills, but when we saw the news we were amazed that we were looking at Sahara Desert particles! I actually got some in my eyes.

Dust storm from Sahara blankets Spain - UPI.com

Many areas of Spain and the Balearic Islands found themselves on Tuesday covered under a yellowish haze from a blanket of desert sand from the Sahara.

www.upi.com

 

[stevepjq]

My wife's relatives in Sicily call this phenomena "sirocco." is it referred to similarly in Spain & Portugal?

 

[ivar]

In spanish, Calima…

La calima comenzará a disiparse el jueves con lo que mejorará la calidad del aire

La situación seguirá siendo desfavorable en Murcia, Andalucía, Extremadura, oeste de Castilla-La Mancha y de Castilla y León y Madrid. Se espera que el episodio remita el viernes

elpais.com

 

[Tincatinker]

There was orange dust all over the broad bean shoots this morning. The salad cloches needed a wash. The frog spawn in the pond looked rusty. This afternoon’s rain has rinsed everything but the sky is still orange and everything is streaked.
I learn that you can find layers of Saharan dust in Arctic ice- cores and that similar plumes may have contributed to the fertility of post-glacial soils.
Still makes me cough…

 

[Kimtom]

I have seen some of the coverage of the dust storm blanketing Spain and parts of France as far north as Bordeaux. I have seen no comments on the Forum. I have a friend starting from Sarria tomorrow and asked him to let me know what he is experiencing.

I’m on the Frances in Belorado. The sky has been murky for a few days. I thought there must be a fire somewhere but learned of the dust storm yesterday. Thanks for these postings about it. It helps those of us who are walking right now.

 

[jungleboy]

My wife's relatives in Sicily call this phenomena "sirocco." is it referred to similarly in Spain & Portugal?

All Portuguese media that I’ve seen refer to it simply as ‘Sahara dust’ or similar - poeira(s) de Saara. For example:

Poeira do Saara: “qualidade do ar degradada” em Portugal, Espanha e França

 

[CaptBuddy]

Cantabrian Ski resort a couple of days ago.

 

[kay lee]

Reporting in from central Portugal:

This is our second day of the dust. Very fine; visible in atmosphere as "golden cloudiness." Local weather people are recommending that elderly, small children, and those with respiratory issues not go outside. Reminds me of when we had forest fires in Canada, with the smoke from far away being blown into our area. Not pleasant walking; you can definitely feel it in your throat.

Madrid area, and further southeast in Spain are getting it as well.

From Twitter, a photo showing central Lisbon yesterday. This is what it's like here, as well:

View attachment 120691

And again yesterday, from Murça, in Spain:

View attachment 120692

Have you seen/heard any forecast about how long this may last? We are scheduled to walk from Lisbon in early April and I have respiratory problems.

 

[jiggy]

It is much better today.

I have seen some of the coverage of the dust storm blanketing Spain and parts of France as far north as Bordeaux. I have seen no comments on the Forum. I have a friend starting from Sarria tomorrow and asked him to let me know what he is experiencir

 

[ivar]

Clear skies in Santiago today.... all gone here.

 

[Wanderingfriend]

Yes, I feel it too in Santiago. More yesterday.. I guess if you have asthma it might become a problem. Crossing my fingers that it will be fine in a few days.

View attachment 120699

Please keep us posted. I have asthma and I am due to leave on April 2nd.

 

[igmt1957]

I've seen reference to this landing in the UK today.

Had been in Guemes when first hit on way to stanander. Very hazy. Today was much clearer as I came into Comillas. Everything has a fine layer of sand dust on it. Gate to think how much I took in.

 

[Anniesantiago]

Wow! That was crazy! Thanks for all the photos.

 

[Pipmahoe]

I have seen some of the coverage of the dust storm blanketing Spain and parts of France as far north as Bordeaux. I have seen no comments on the Forum. I have a friend starting from Sarria tomorrow and asked him to let me know what he is experiencing.

My husband and I have been visiting Santander today, all the cars, benches, outside bar tables and seats etc are all covered in a fine dust, I was wondering what it was? Now I know-thank you for posting.

 

[Wanderingfriend]

Can you comment about what people/news is saying about how long these events last? I am due to arrive on April 3rd with asthma. This may affect whether I can walk or not.

 

[Wanderingfriend]

Clear skies in Santiago today.... all gone here.

What about rest of Camino? How long do these events last?

 

[ivar]

What about rest of Camino? How long do these events last?

It is over as far as I can see. Cars have some dust on them from yesterday, but all back to normal air-wise in Santiago (and I think in all if Spain).

 

[Wanderingfriend]

It is over as far as I can see. Cars have some dust on them from yesterday, but all back to normal air-wise in Santiago (and I think in all if Spain).

Thanks Ivar. Your service is appreciated!

 

[El Cascayal]

I just arrived to Hospital de Bruma on the Inglés. Beautiful sunny crisp day.

 

[Rebekah Scott]

I have asthma and I live in the middle of the blackest part of the map above.
I've been breathing dust for three days now, and so far I'm still up and moving about normally, no wheezing or respiratory symptoms except a bit of a runny nose.
(Hope that's not too much information.)
Asthmatics, fear not! If it was really bad, I'd be feeling it.
It is really rather beautiful, in an apocalyptic kind of way.

 

[Friend from Barquinha]

Gone here in central Portugal. Hopefully, that's the last of it! Off to the UK with it...

What is Saharan dust and why is it turning UK skies orange?

Look out for some fabulous sunsets this week – and dusty cars

www.standard.co.uk

 

[towanda1961]

This is the view from my bedroom yesterday, South of Granada, health authorities recommend no physical activities outdoors, and wear a good FPP2 grade at least, it looks like it will stay like this, with different intensities, till Thursday at least. I am not sure it is a good idea to be walking on days like these, the air quality in Granada, for example, was the worst for years yesterday.



View attachment 120702

I’m also south of Granada. Deep in the mud clean up now!

 

[La Rubia]

Fellow asthmatics, fear not! I'm in the middle of things, in Cascais, west of Lisbon, and while the sky looks chunky, the particulate matter doesn't feel nearly as intrusive as say, a California wildfire. I'm experienced in the latter, btw. It's already dissapating, and I'm told it's a couple times a year, so don't worry.

 

[MinaKamina]

From Twitter: Sahara Dust



Rob Yaxley

@rob_yaxley

Sahara dust x100 - I was just curious to see what it looked like under the microscope.

 

[Wanderingfriend]

Fellow asthmatics, fear not! I'm in the middle of things, in Cascais, west of Lisbon, and while the sky looks chunky, the particulate matter doesn't feel nearly as intrusive as say, a California wildfire. I'm experienced in the latter, btw. It's already dissapating, and I'm told it's a couple times a year, so don't worry.

Thank you for taking time to respond.

 

[Kathar1na]

My wife's relatives in Sicily call this phenomena "sirocco."

Interesting, thanks.

I knew the name "sirocco" and that it is a hot dry wind blowing in Italy, just like I know Mistral, Bora and Foehn and roughly where these winds blow but I did not know that sirocco is the wind that carries the sand from the Sahara with it.

I live far north of the Alps and we rarely notice it but this time it was quite a massive event. Today I saw that every car that had been parked outside, including mine, was covered with a thin layer of dirt and, on closer inspection, the colour is indeed orange and it is very fine sand. And yesterday we had an unusually beautiful sunset, a side effect of the tiny particles high up in the air.

 

[stevepjq]

So now that you had mentioned mistral winds, please allow me to brighten the readers day about my experience in Marseille. My wife and I were in Marseille just as all Americans were called back for Covid. The day prior, we rented bikes to ride along the Corniche JFK - what a beautiful stretch of coastline!! On our return to center city, after several hours of riding, a strong mistral (we were told that there were gusts of 60 mph) picked my bike, with me on it, up off the ground and I landed in the midst of the roadway. Inches away from my head was a the bumper of a bus that thankfully stopped. Locals came a'running to help this poor old (and embarrassed) soul and his belongings off the ground. I looked around to see my wife fully expecting to see a look of horror on her face. Instead, she was doubled over laughing and holding herself so that she wouldn't wet her pants. We still laugh about the French mistral!!

 

[jungleboy]

Lisbon today:

View attachment 120693

Today, same spot

 

[Wanderingfriend]

Great! Looks like it has moved on.

 

[naplesdon]

So, to follow up on my friend in Sarria today, the sky in his photos look like Jungleboy's photo.

 

[WGroleau]

I have seen some of the coverage of the dust storm blanketing Spain and parts of France as far north as Bordeaux. I have seen no comments on the Forum. I have a friend starting from Sarria tomorrow and asked him to let me know what he is experiencing.

My friend in Zamora said it was noticeable in terms of visibility, but he didn't feel any respiratory distress.

 

[Friend from Barquinha]

More dust coming tonight and tomorrow...

I just read a couple of news items reporting that the dust is back in southern Spain; pictures from this afternoon in Malaga that are like the photos above. Predicted for central Spain and Portugal tomorrow.

 

[peregrina2000]

Would it make sense to wear a good mask? They are so much a part of our life now, and it would seem that they would help. I remember my daughter and her family were advised by their doctor to wear masks outside when the wildfires in California were so bad several years ago. At that time it was an unusual thing to wear masks, but now it would be second nature.

 

[trecile]

I remember my daughter and her family were advised by their doctor to wear masks outside when the wildfires in California were so bad several years ago. At that time it was an unusual thing to wear masks, but now it would be second nature.

When the pandemic started and good masks were in short supply we, and many others where I live in Oregon already had N95 masks that we had bought for protection from the smoke from forest fires.