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UK Faces 'Blood Rain' Alert as Saharan Dust Arrives
23 Feb
Summary
- Saharan dust plume sweeps towards the UK, mixing with persistent rain.
- Experts assure no reason for concern, with dust residue as main effect.
- Plume expected to arrive Tuesday, potentially causing red skies too.
Britain is anticipating a peculiar weather phenomenon known as 'blood rain' as a significant plume of Saharan dust travels across Europe. This dust is expected to mix with the country's ongoing rain showers, imparting a reddish color to the precipitation. Experts from the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) are closely monitoring the large aerosol plume, which also contains smoke from Equatorial Africa.
According to CAMS senior scientist Mark Parrington, the dust is predicted to arrive over the UK on Tuesday. While the dust plume will largely pass over southern England at high altitudes, some wet deposition at ground level is possible if it interacts with rain. Beyond the reddish rain, the skies themselves may appear red or orange on Tuesday evening due to the high aerosol optical depth.
Despite the potentially alarming appearance, officials emphasize that this event poses no threat. The most significant impact is expected to be a thin film of dust left on cars and other exposed surfaces once the rain dries. This phenomenon, caused by strong winds lifting dust high into the atmosphere and transporting it globally, is not uncommon, especially during this time of year.
