Sahara

High concentrations of Saharan dust that enveloped most of Greece on Wednesday are to remain Thursday and Friday, heaviest in the west and south of the country. Experts warn that bacteria, fungi and pollen can be embedded in African dust, further affecting vulnerable groups.

Transfer of Saharan dust is expected in the western and southern regions

At the edge of an oasis almost engulfed by the dunes, where the rare caravan still passes, is a desert landscape punctured by holes.

The salt pans of Kalala, near Bilma in northeastern Niger, were once an essential stop for traders with their swaying lines of camels.

The sky over Bulgaria in recent days was dust-laden and colored in orange, and in Western Europe they post pictures of rusty snow cover. This is due to powerful dust storms in Sahara and a southerly wind carrying the desert sand to Europe. This happens against the background of unusually warm February in our country.

Saharan dust continued to cover Athens and many parts of the country on Thursday, affecting particularly the western regions, as winds brought sand from Libya.
Meteorologists say the phenomenon will continue on Friday with dust clouding northern Greece and the islands of the north Aegean before northwestern winds start to clear out the atmosphere on Saturday afternoon. 

A ship is barely visible from the Acropolis hill on Wednesday as Athens - and much of the rest of Greece - was blanketed in Saharan dust and sand blown on the wind from Libya. The worst affected areas were in central and western Greece, the Peloponnese and Crete. High dust concentrations are also expected on Thursday and Friday before the weather starts to clear on Saturday.

Rain, mixed with sand particle, was witnessed today in Smolyan. Most likely, it is a colorful precipitation of sand from the Sahara, which is usually observed in the spring in the region, explained Rozhen Meteorological Station.

In the region of Rozhen during the day has also fallen light snow.

Swathes of Greece are blanketed in orange haze after southerly winds swept dust from the Sahara desert in Africa to southeastern Europe.

Health authorities have urged the young, elderly and those with breathing problems to limit their time outside.

 Huge dust clouds have reduced visibility in large parts of Greece, including the capital Athens.

Parts of Greece will be on Wednesday blanketed in orange haze as southerly winds sweep dust from the Sahara desert in Africa to southeastern Europe, meteorologists warn.

Health authorities urge the young, elderly and those with breathing problems to limit their time outside.

The Sahara Desert has grown significantly over the past century, and climate change is largely to blame, according to a new study.

Analysing data collected since 1923, a research team examined the different factors that contributed to changes in rainfall in the Sahara region.