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This week has seen several parts of the Region of Murcia affected by a ‘calima’ or Saharan dust cloud which has tinged the sky orange and left reddish mud and muck covering many cars and streets.

 

For some people, it has resulted in difficulty breathing, itchy throat and eyes and an inability to see normally.

 

A Saharan dust storm impacts air quality, which is currently ranked as “very unfavourable” or “extremely unfavourable” in places like Lorca (pictured) and Cartagena.

 

Health authorities have already advised people to avoid physical activities outdoors such as practising intense sports, especially for people with respiratory problems.

 

 

This meteorological phenomenon is caused by the formation of various inorganic compounds such as silicates, aluminates and heavy metals along with organic material associated with carbon particles (soot).

 

It doesn’t necessarily blow over on the wind from the Saharan desert, but such dust particles can also contribute to the episode.

 

Prolonged exposure to this combination of particles can cause harmful effects on a person’s respiratory system, due to their small size, which allows them to reach deep into the lungs, and sometimes into the bloodstream.

 

 

Given not only the nuisance it causes by staining cars and patios but also the health risks posed by the calima, the question is how long the Saharan dust will remain in the air in the Region of Murcia.

 

According to data from the State Meteorological Agency (Aemet), during this Tuesday September 5 the skies will continue with cloudy intervals, without ruling out occasional light showers in the interior of the Region, more likely in the Altiplano. Thus, the haze is expected to stick around for now. Temperatures will remain unchanged, except for a drop in minimum temperatures inland.

 

It will be on Wednesday when the Saharan dust gradually begins to disappear from the skies and from the streets of the Region of Murcia. For this day the skies will continue to be cloudy and it is possible that there will be light rainfall, more likely during the first half of the day.

 

Image: Ayuntamiento de Lorca