Impaired air qualitySaharan dust clouds to cross Luxembourg on Wednesday

RTL Today
Winds carrying dust particles from the Sahara desert will pass through Luxembourg on Wednesday 3 March, meteorological forecasts indicate.
Aerosol forecasts for Wednesday 3 March 2021
Aerosol forecasts for Wednesday 3 March 2021

While not dangerous, Luxembourg's skies will turn rather hazy as of mid-morning til late in the afternoon. It may also impair general air quality, with a high concentration of aerosols.

The Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service measures an Aerosol Optical Thickness of close to 1. An optical thickness of less than 0.1 (palest yellow) indicates a crystal clear sky with maximum visibility, whereas a value of 1 (reddish brown) indicates very hazy conditions.

The northern wind coming from the Saharan Desert, called Sirocco, is a frequent phenomenon that often occurs in spring and autumn. Sometimes the sand carried does not reach Europe, as rain above the Mediterranean ensures its deposit prior to reaching the mainland.

More information here.

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