For the first time this year, large amounts of Saharan dust have been detected over Europe. This was announced by the EU Atmosphere Service Copernicus on Tuesday. Accordingly, the dust from North Africa could reach Central and Eastern Europe in the coming days, after crossing the Iberian Peninsula and France, according to Copernicus forecasts.
“The typical impact is a red or orange sky, but there is also the potential for ground-level air quality impacts, particularly in Portugal and Spain,” said Copernicus lead scientist Mark Parrington. According to Copernicus, the dust has already arrived on the Iberian Peninsula.
The impact of Saharan dust could affect human health and the energy sector, the statement said. For example, allergies could be intensified. The dust particles in the atmosphere could also affect the generation of solar energy.
The Atmosphere Monitoring Service is one of several components of the European Union’s Copernicus programme. Among other things, it provides data on the atmosphere, oceans, land, climate change, security and energy obtained from satellite images.
