The dynamic low-pressure system Regina has brought severe atmospheric phenomena to Western Europe. While Spain is grappling with winds exceeding 70 km/h and intense rainfall, a massive cloud of dust from the Sahara has swept over France and Germany. This phenomenon is causing a drastic deterioration in air quality, reduced visibility, and a characteristic orange tint to the sky, forcing medical services to issue warnings for people with respiratory diseases.
Cyclone Regina hits Spain
The intense low brings torrential rains, hailstorms, and winds exceeding 70 km/h in Alicante and Valencia, threatening the Las Fallas celebrations.
Sahara dust over Europe
Huge masses of sand have reached Spain, France, and Germany, causing an orange sky and a drop in air quality.
Medical alerts in major cities
Health services in Madrid and Paris recommend caution due to high concentrations of suspended particulates in the atmosphere.
Incidents in the Canary Islands
Over 40 interventions related to the effects of strong winds have been recorded, mainly for removing fallen trees.
The intense low-pressure system Regina has dominated the weather in the Mediterranean basin and Western Europe, bringing with it an unusual combination of meteorological phenomena. The Spanish state agency AEMET has maintained yellow alerts for eight autonomous regions, warning of torrential rains, storms, and hail. The most difficult situation is in the Canary Islands, where over 40 wind-related incidents have already been recorded, and in the province of Valencia. Local residents are anxiously watching the sky on the eve of the Las Fallas festival, as forecasted rainfall and strong wind gusts could prevent traditional parades and pyrotechnic displays. Simultaneously with the rainfall, cyclone Regina has sucked enormous amounts of desert dust from North Africa, causing the phenomenon of calima. The sand cloud has already reached central Spain, including Madrid, as well as French territory and southwestern Germany (Baden-Württemberg). French health services are warning of high concentrations of suspended particulates, which significantly lower air quality. The sky there has taken on ochre and orange hues, and a fine, red dust is settling on car bodies and building facades, which meteorologists colloquially call „blood rain” in the event of precipitation. The phenomenon of Sahara dust transport over Europe is a natural process, intensifying in spring when deep Atlantic lows move south, creating strong updrafts over the desert. In Germany and France, the influx of Sahara dust also heralds a sudden change in air masses. Although the dust limits sunlight and lowers the maximum temperature, it is also a rich source of minerals for marine and terrestrial ecosystems. However, medical services in Madrid and Paris recommend limiting intense physical exertion outdoors, especially for the elderly and asthmatics. Forecasts indicate that the weather instability will persist until the end of the week, and the eastward-moving front could bring lower dust concentrations also over Central Europe, including Poland. „Una nueva DANA llega a España: provocando el regreso de las lluvias al país” (A new DANA arrives in Spain: bringing the return of rains to the country) — Jorge Rey
Mentioned People
- Jorge Rey — Young Spanish weather analyst known for traditional forecasting methods.