On Friday, June 21, 2024, a huge cloud of dust from the Sahara covered parts of central Europe, primarily Italy, Slovenia and Croatia, significantly affecting the air quality in this region. The intensity and relatively large number of dust intrusions from the Sahara in recent months have raised questions about the possibility that these events are related to changes in atmospheric circulation patterns.
Dense dust particles in the air from the Sahara dust cloud made breathing much more difficult in the worst-affected regions, with residents reporting a sandy sensation and discomfort. According to health authorities, high levels of dust can worsen respiratory diseases, leading to an increase in asthma attacks, bronchitis and other respiratory conditions.
The World Health Organization (WHO) and other health experts advise people, especially those with existing health conditions, to limit outdoor activities, reduce exposure to indoor dust by closing windows, and use air purifiers to mitigate health risks during intense dust transport episodes , like this one.
The cloud is spreading northeast and is expected to reach Poland, Belarus and Ukraine by Saturday, June 22, and remain present in the Balkans, including Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and southern Italy, throughout Saturday. Another episode of dust transport from the Sahara is forecast over southern Italy and Greece on June 26. This is just the latest in a series of intense dust episodes that have hit Europe in recent months.
Despite its potential health risks when inhaled, Saharan dust can have many beneficial effects, one of the main ones being its role in fertilizing soil. The dust is rich in nutrients such as iron, phosphorus and other minerals necessary for plant growth. When deposited in regions such as the Amazon jungle, it acts as a natural fertilizer, renewing depleted soils and supporting vegetation growth.
Additionally, dust from the Sahara contributes to ocean health by providing essential nutrients that support phytoplankton growth. These microscopic organisms form the basis of the food chain in seas and oceans and play a key role in sequestering carbon, helping to regulate the Earth's climate.
While the transport of dust from the Sahara across the Mediterranean to Europe is not an unusual phenomenon, observations indicate that the intensity and frequency of these events have increased in parts of Europe in recent years, said Mark Parrington, senior scientist at the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS). The intensity and relatively large number of dust intrusions from the Sahara in recent months have raised questions about the possibility that these events are related to changes in atmospheric circulation patterns.
Dust transport from the Sahara to Europe has a marked seasonality, occurring more frequently from February to June and from late autumn to early winter, although dust events can occur throughout the year.
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