A cloud of Sahara dust moves over Europe. In Germany, too, the sky will shine in red and orange. This could mean a forced break for the generation of solar energy. However, the quality of the air we breathe should not suffer in this country.
The first Sahara dust of the year over Europe could make itself felt on cars and windows in Germany by Thursday at the latest. This was announced by the EU’s Copernicus Atmosphere Service. A major impact on the quality of breathing air is unlikely in Germany, but rain could bring the dust to the ground, said lead Copernicus scientist Mark Parrington.
According to the forecast, the Sahara dust should reach north-west Germany as early as Wednesday and continue to spread across the country over the course of the day. However, most of the dust is found at high altitudes. “The typical effect is a red or orange sky,” Parrington said. Saharan dust is created by raising dust in North Africa, which is then transported to Europe by large-scale air currents.
According to the Atmosphere Service, larger amounts of dust from North Africa reached Europe this week for the first time this year and were moving from the Iberian Peninsula towards France and Central and Eastern Europe. Effects on air quality are mainly expected for Portugal and Spain.
Saharan dust could affect human health and the energy sector, a Copernicus statement said. For example, allergies could be intensified. The dust particles in the atmosphere could also affect the generation of solar energy.
In general, according to Parrington, it is not uncommon to observe the wind transport of Saharan sand to Europe at this time of year. How strong the cloud of dust will be in Central Europe – also in comparison to the impressive yellowing of the view last March – is currently still unclear.
The Atmosphere Monitoring Service is one of several components of the EU’s Copernicus programme. Among other things, it provides data on the atmosphere, oceans, land, climate change, security and energy obtained from satellite images.
