He is back. A few weeks after a first pass over France, the sand from the Sahara will settle into the atmosphere on Sunday and Monday.
Desert dust will arrive from the south-east of the country. They will then move northwards, reaching almost all regions on Monday. Only Brittany and the Manche department could be spared. The highest concentrations will first be located in the South-East on Sunday. They are expected to move towards the northeast of the country on Monday. It could take a few days for the sand to leave the atmosphere.
Such a phenomenon requires vigilance for the most vulnerable people. Due to the large quantity of fine particles it carries, it constitutes a danger for young children, the elderly, sick people and people with allergies. More generally, it is recommended to limit intense physical activities for the entire population. The density of particles coming from the Sahara has an effect similar to that of a pollution peak. Breathing heavily in such a situation can have harmful consequences for your health.
The cause of the arrival of this sand from the Sahara is twofold. On the one hand, the wind lifts the particles in northern Africa. On the other hand, an isolated disturbance located over Spain acts like a pump. Its direction of rotation, opposite to that of clockwise, allows the sand to cross the Mediterranean and arrive in France, as shown in this graph from Météo France.
Finally, rain should occur in several of the regions crossed by this cloud, particularly in the East and the South-East. Dust should therefore easily reach the ground. If cars get dirty, it is advisable to avoid cleaning with rollers to avoid scratching the bodywork. It is instead recommended to use a jet of water.
