A weather phenomenon can currently be observed in many regions of Bavaria. The sky is colored reddish-yellow by Saharan dust.
Update from March 16, 8:47 a.m .: Dust from the Sahara continues to color the sky over Bavaria. Southwest winds blow desert sand towards us and bathe the Free State in a brownish light. The phenomenon could already be admired in the Alps and in Munich on Tuesday. As a meteorologist from the German Weather Service (DWD) said, the phenomenon should be visible throughout the Free State on Wednesday. Even on Thursday, the Sahara dust might not have blown away.
This is nothing unusual at this time, said the DWD expert. In the process, desert sand is whirled up in low-pressure areas over North Africa and carried around the world in higher air layers. These winds reach Germany mainly in spring and summer.
Sahara dust over Bavaria: “blood rain” possible
In the current weather conditions, light precipitation leads to “blood rain”, whereby the desert sand is washed away. The water then turns brown. The sand then becomes visible on cars or garden furniture, for example. According to the meteorologist, there is currently a lot of dust in the air due to the persistent drought. Northeast winds will carry the desert sand out of Germany again on Thursday.
The dust from the Sahara leads to higher fine dust pollution, according to the DWD. But the dust itself is harmless to humans.
Red-yellow sky over Bavaria: Rare weather phenomenon brings blood rain
First report from March 15 : Munich – Reddish-yellow light is currently shining down from the Munich sky. The reason: Sahara dust from Africa is moving across the Free State*. Southwest winds carry the dust from the desert to Lower and Upper Bavaria. As a meteorologist from the German Weather Service (DWD) said on Tuesday, a strong reddish-yellow discoloration of the sky is expected, especially on Wednesday afternoon. In Munich, the dust seems to have arrived on Tuesday.
There’s been a lot of Sahara dust in the air all day today. But the peak should only be reached around 7 p.m. in the evening. And even tomorrow, the concentration of dust in the air will still be very high: 2000 micrograms per square meter of air column – it would normally be 500 to 1000 micrograms.
Weather phenomenon in Bavaria: Sahara dust makes the sky shine – blood rain is coming
On Wednesday, light rain is also expected to cause “blood rain” in Bavaria, washing out the desert sand. The falling water then turns brownish. For example, the sand can become visible on cars or garden furniture.
“This is nothing unusual at this time,” said the DWD weather expert. In the process, desert sand is whirled up in low-pressure areas over North Africa and carried around the world in higher air layers. These winds reach Germany mainly in spring and summer.
Sahara dust is important for nature
The desert dust is sometimes even urgently needed for nature, as the DWD further explains. Because the whirled up mineral dust particles would on the one hand supply phytoplankton in the Atlantic Ocean and on the other hand the rainforest soils in the Amazon with important nutrients. He also helps to renew the beaches in the Caribbean. (tkip/dpa) *Merkur.de/bayern is an offer from IPPEN.MEDIA
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