Saharan dust is currently settling over Austria and other countries in Central Europe. According to meteorologists, another large cloud from the African continent has entered our country with the predominant southern foehn. Today, Saturday, should be the highlight. In Tyrol, the weather phenomenon has been clouding visibility for days, and in Carinthia the dust is also causing the Karawanks to disappear. Can there still be so-called rain of blood?
“The concentrations are currently very high, which means that everything turns orange even without rain or snow,” the Austrian Severe Weather Center (uwz) explained on Saturday. According to information from experts from GeoSphere Austria, there was already 1,200 milligrams of Sahara dust in the air. Austria will probably at least be spared from the “rain of blood”. It will remain dry in almost all parts of the country all weekend, with showers only possible in East Tyrol and Carinthia on Sunday.
Dust creates a mystical atmosphere
Yet the weather phenomenon has already caused poor visibility in Carinthia and Tyrol: the dust creates an almost mystical atmosphere there. The dust is also expected to occasionally cause milky white skies in Styria this weekend. A significant amount of Sahara dust was already in the air in the federal capital on Saturday.
There is also a storm warning in effect in several parts of the country. Vorarlberg, Tyrol and parts of Salzburg are currently affected. Warning level red is currently in effect there, but strong gusts of wind can also be expected further east, in Pongau, Lungau and Upper Styria.
25 degree mark cracked in Lower Austria
In addition to the weather phenomenon and the storm warnings, the country also broke the 25 degree mark for the first time this year. Namely at Oberndorf an der Melk station in Lower Austria. “This is the station record in March and also the previous summer day throughout Austria since 2006,” said the uwz.
In Switzerland, wind gusts of 190 km/h
Our neighbors were also already feeling the Sahara dust: in Switzerland, above Andermatt, wind gusts with top speeds of 190 kilometers per hour were measured late on Friday evening, the weather service SRF Meteo reported on Saturday.
In addition, yellow-red Sahara dust was present on Saturday, which obscured visibility in large parts of Switzerland. According to a meteorologist, model calculations showed that there were 180,000 tons of Sahara dust in the air above Switzerland on Saturday. That is an unusual amount.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
