SPAIN is bracing for a massive plume of Saharan dust that is sweeping across the country this week, bringing hazy skies and health warnings.
The phenomenon, known locally as a ‘calima’, is being driven by a high-altitude isolated depression (DANA) moving towards North Africa.
This weather system is sucking up a colossal cloud of sand from Morocco and Mauritania and dragging it northwards across the Iberian Peninsula.
It is also carrying an unusually mild air mass that will push daytime temperatures up to 25C in southeastern areas and the Canary Islands.
The State Meteorological Agency (Aemet) has warned that the microscopic suspended particles will severely reduce air quality across the nation.
Health experts are advising people with respiratory diseases to take precautions as the sky turns a whitish-orange hue over the coming days.
While residents on the Costa del Sol and Costa Blanca will primarily notice the turbid air and unseasonal heat, western parts of the mainland are preparing for showers mixed with dirt.
These muddy downpours are notoriously dreaded by expats and locals alike for the messy residue they leave on cars, terraces and swimming pools.
The massive dust plume is so extensive that it will effectively connect Madrid to Marrakech by Wednesday.
Southerly winds will then propel the African dust further into Europe, reaching France, the UK and as far north as Scandinavia by Thursday.
Meanwhile, the Canary Islands are preparing to bear the brunt of the extreme conditions later in the week.
Forecasters predict that one of the most severe dust episodes in recent years will hit the archipelago between Thursday and Friday, bringing dangerous air quality and heavy mud rain.
Click here to read more Weather News from The Olive Press.
