Today, Holy Saturday, a lot of Sahara dust reaches Germany. The weather phenomenon is subject to cyclical fluctuations. The German Weather Service speaks of a “rare intensity” for this weekend.
There’s something in the air – except for Easter. Today dust from the Sahara reaches Germany. This desert dust can make the sunshine appear milky and cloudy. “The Sahara dust has already arrived; you can see this in the yellowish cloudiness in the air,” says Christian Herold, meteorologist at the German Weather Service (DWD). The phenomenon can be observed in many parts of Germany, with the highest concentration in the west of the country.
The weather phenomenon should still be visible on Easter Sunday. On Monday, a cold front will allow the dust to move away, according to Herold.
“It’s quite rare in terms of intensity”
According to the DWD, Sahara dust in the air is not a rare natural phenomenon in Central Europe. Such dust particles are carried into Europe around five to 15 times every year. “In terms of intensity, this is rather rare,” emphasized the DWD meteorologist at the same time.
The dust is kicked up in the world’s largest dry desert in Africa and is carried thousands of kilometers north by strong southerly currents. This happens especially in spring and autumn. There are cyclical fluctuations; it is unclear whether climate change influences the phenomenon.
Thick sand dust – blown in from the Sahara – gives the sky a yellowish appearance over the vineyard terraces of Lavaux on the shores of Lake Geneva near Chexbres in western Switzerland.
Dust and foehn storm in Switzerland
Switzerland is also affected. According to model calculations, 180,000 tons of Saharan dust hung in the air. That’s an unusual amount, according to meteorologists. Normally the wind brings half the amount to Switzerland.
On Saturday, a strong foehn storm with strong gusts swept across the Alps. Storm gusts with top speeds of 190 kilometers per hour were measured above Andermatt in Switzerland late on Friday evening, as the weather service SRF Meteo reported.
The storm damaged a historic steamship on Lake Geneva. It had docked at a jetty in Cully in the canton of Vaud. Due to the swaying of the ship, there was sometimes a risk that the jetty could break. The police were on site with a large contingent on Saturday night to secure the ship and the jetty.
Kathrin Hondl, ARD Geneva, tagesschau, March 30, 2024 1:09 p.m