Winds will continue to bring deposits of dust and Saharan sand to France today (April 30) and tomorrow with particles reaching as far north as Belgium.
A current mass of warm air – also causing the storms in the south and east of France – crossed the Mediterranean from the Sahara desert over the weekend, bringing sand and dust from North Africa.
The dust, which is already present in parts of the south, will increase in intensity today and tomorrow.
The sand is broken down into finer and finer particles as it rises and falls with the wind, becoming so small that they leave the wind’s path, staying airborne for a while before settling on cars and buildings.
These particles can also alter the appearance of the sky, turning it an ochre colour.
The south-east of France will be most affected, however the sands pose only a limited risk to people’s health, and are less harmful than other similar-sized micro-particles.
People with breathing difficulties should be more aware when outside, and along with pregnant women and young children, should be careful although no official warnings over the sands have been issued.
However those with a respiratory condition should avoid vigorous outdoor exercise.
Are droughts at an end in Perpignan?
In other parts of the south rain has finally arrived, bringing hopes that a two-year drought is easing.
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The Pyrénées-Orientales department is one of the few areas currently facing drought restrictions, after rainfall has been minimal over the last two years.
The dry spell continued even during the autumn rains experienced by the rest of the country, leaving the area as an anomaly on the map, with water tables continuing to deplete even as they were filled elsewhere.
However, recent heavy rain has brought relief to residents and authorities alike.
At least 65mm of rain has fallen around Perpignan in the last few days with another 50mm expected before the end of the week. Although this may not be enough to fully replenish the severely depleted groundwater levels, it will help ease fears of an ever more severe drought this summer.
In comparison, only around 250mm fell throughout the previous 12 months in the area, less than half of the annual average.
How warm will the coming months be in France?
Earlier this week, state forecaster Météo France released its tendency report for the next three months (May - July).
There is a 50% chance that it will be hotter than average in each of these months.
This rises to 70% along the Mediterranean coastline as an increase in warm air masses from the ocean are expected.
For the rest of the country, there is a 30% chance that temperatures will hover around the monthly average, and only a 20% likelihood that it will be colder than usual.
Despite a chilly April that saw temperatures plummet well below historical averages, those throughout the rest of 2024 have been warmer than usual.
There is no indication that rain levels will be significantly higher or lower than average.
