A number of eerie videos and pictures have emerged showing skies in parts of Spain turned orange by dust brought up from the Sahara, and weather experts have warned the UK could be next.
The colourful skies are tied in with Storm Celia, which has produced cloudy weather and heavy rainfall in parts of Spain and Portugal, while strong winds have dragged dust up from the desert.
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Although the weather conditions have made for a great photo opportunity, a number of regions have suffered poor air quality and the people living in the impacted regions woke up to red dust covering their homes, streets and cars.
BBC weather presenter Carol Kirkwood warned during today’s report that the UK could be next.
She said: "There has been very poor air quality today in parts of Spain, and it could well affect us in the southeast and East Anglia on Wednesday [16 March].
“So if you wake up on Wednesday and your car is covered in orange dust, you’ll know where it comes from and why.”
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The air quality index for certain parts of central and northern Spain range from being listed as ‘Unhealthy’ to ‘Hazardous’, the latter of which is the lowest rating.
The Climatology Laboratory research unit at the University of Alicante continues to keep people updated on the situation in Spain, while also issuing the following suggestions to those living in areas impacted by the dust.
In a recent Facebook post, they wrote: “We insist again that given these concentrations of suspended particles it is quite advisable to wear the mask on the street, especially people who suffer from respiratory diseases.
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“We also do not recommend long-term outdoor activities.”
Amid a previous Saharan dust cloud, Dr Andy Whittamore, clinical lead at Asthma UK, described how this weather condition can be particularly troubling for asthma sufferers.
He said in a statement: “Dust and other types of air pollution are a well-known trigger for people with asthma.
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“Toxic air can leave people struggling for breath and can cause wheezing, coughing, shortness of breath and even a life-threatening asthma attack.
“People with asthma must make sure they carry their reliever inhaler (usually blue) with them at all times in case their symptoms worsen.
“We also advise people with asthma to continue to manage their condition with their preventer inhaler (usually brown) as this will help to reduce the inflammation in their airways and make them less likely to react to asthma triggers.”
He added that those looking for advice on managing asthma when pollution levels are high can find tips on this link.
Daisy Phillipson