Since March 15 in the morning, large quantities of Saharan sand have been flying over France, with deposits expected as these precipitations pass. The sky should also change color, and this in several French regions.
The orange sky that the French will be able to observe in mid-March is linked to an upwelling of sand from the Sahara. This meteorological phenomenon, while impressive, is rather common: Weather Paris indicates that it occurs several times a year, or even every season depending on the period. It occurs when an Atlantic low dips south and positions itself over the Iberian Peninsula, raising a strong south to southeast wind over the Maghreb. If the wind is sufficiently persistent between this sector and France, this dust directly reaches our territory and can lead to precipitation.
It is at this time that we observe deposits on the ground and a modification of the colors of the sky. This time, the depression is particularly important: it isolated itself towards Morocco on March 14, while, at the same time, the anticyclone firmly anchored itself over the center of Eastern Europe, overflowing on the Mediterranean. This south-to-southeast flow, dynamic enough to advect the sandy dusts towards us, has, for the moment, propagated large quantities of sandy dusts in the south-west of Spain on March 14th. When will we really be affected by the deposits?
On March 14 in the evening, rains came up in the south-west of France, before reaching the central regions during the night of March 14 to 15 and the north-east of the territory in the morning of March 15. According to weather forecasts, this sandy dust will spread to the whole of French territory this Tuesday evening, March 15, with higher concentrations in the south-west, until it is evacuated by the German borders. The peak should be reached in the northern half of France on Wednesday, March 16… Day when all the French regions will be overflown by Saharan sand and when deposits will be visible on vehicle bodies. Since this peak could last until Saturday March 19 and the dust it spreads is harmful, it is recommended to keep a mask on when traveling outdoors, especially for people with respiratory problems.