Severe dust storm hits Crete, Greece
A cutoff low in the central Mediterranean pushed huge amounts of Saharan dust from Libya toward the eastern Mediterranean on March 22, 2018, heavily impacting the region, especially the island of Crete.A thick layer of Saharan sand reached Crete around 16:00 local time, dropping the visibility at Heraklion airport to 600 m (2 000 feet). In some parts of the island, like Chania, it mixed with the smoke from local wildfires, making the air unbreathable.
The thickness becomes really apparent once we remove the coastline layer. A rare sight indeed:
Satellite images courtesy NASA/NOAA Aqua/MODIS
The dust cloud has already left Greece it mainly affects Egypt, Cyprus and Turkey early March 23.
A new irruption from Libya to Greece is expected for next Sunday, March 25 but it's probably going to be less severe than the present one, the Barcelona Dust Forecast Center said.
Bron: https://watchers.news
Mars colony#Crete #Heraklion #stormdust #NoFilters pic.twitter.com/9fXzAXJZe4
— kbrin (@kbrin_) 22 maart 2018
"Πέρα από την Αφρική" #symbainei_twra pic.twitter.com/YpmPDAyqqV
— kbrin (@kbrin_) 22 maart 2018
The wind brought some #africandust to #crete.
— Crypto Days (@days_crypto) 22 maart 2018
Weather today reminds me #altcoins. pic.twitter.com/BdEzwHMINJ
#Malia pic.twitter.com/Jxuist1aeo
— Jon Donnis ???????????????????????????? (@JonDonnis) 22 maart 2018
There is no filter on this photo.
— Jon Donnis ???????????????????????????? (@JonDonnis) 22 maart 2018
This was taken today in #Crete, #Greece, a sand storm seems to occur every year, southern winds bring dust/sand from the Sahara to create this orange haze. Along with hot winds, its one of the craziest things you'll ever see. pic.twitter.com/7zm9vEVWVc
33.5 °C indicated and air THICK with Saharan dust in Mallia, Crete yesterday, March 22! WOW! Report: Vasilis Chaliabalias pic.twitter.com/FRzDFoMKxD
— severe-weather.EU (@severeweatherEU) 23 maart 2018
More Saharan dust for the central and eastern Mediterranean over the next three days - Greece in for another choking day. Some Saharan dust also quite a way further north! Details: https://t.co/ZbkdIx2D15 pic.twitter.com/vBZpWApL8V
— severe-weather.EU (@severeweatherEU) 23 maart 2018
'Orange snow' baffles eastern Europeans
Bron afbeelding: Margarita Alshina/BBC.com
People in eastern Europe have been wondering at the appearance of orange-tinted snow. Pictures of the snow have been posted on social media from Russia, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Romania and Moldova.
Meteorologists say the phenomenon is caused by sand from Sahara desert storms mixing with snow and rain. It occurs roughly once every five years but concentrations of sand are higher than usual his time. People have complained of sand in their mouths.
Bron: BBC.com