This week, a cloud of Sahara sand will pass over Spain. It coincides with DANAs (isolated depressions in high areas) in the north and south. Warmer temperatures collide with cold fronts resulting in local storms.
As February draws to a close, almost all Spain enjoys warm temperatures. This applies even to the northernmost regions, with exceptional, almost summery, temperatures in the Spanish regions of the Basque Country, Galicia and Cantabria.
Warm air collides with the cold front in northern and southern Spain
Aemet, the Spanish weather service, predicts warm air will collide with various cold fronts from Wednesday. This will cause DANAs in Galicia and Asturias (Thursday), the Gulf of Cádiz, the Canary Islands and eastern Andalusia (Friday to Sunday). The rain is likely to last all weekend in these areas.
Aemet issues code yellow from Thursday to Sunday in the south of Spain (Granada and Almería) and a large part of the Canary Islands. Not only will these areas suffer from heavy rains, there will also be strong winds in the north of Spain and the Canary Islands, which will make the sea in these areas quite rough.
Sahara sand ravages Spain from Wednesday
As of Wednesday, Aemet predicts the return of Sahara sand in the sky, flooding Spain from east to west. Each year more than 180 million tonnes of sand blow from the Sahara Desert aided by strong seasonal winds. The sand, or dust, settles in other parts of Africa or drifts north toward Europe. The majority heads out across the Atlantic Ocean.
High concentrations of this desert dust affect the quality of the air, which is bad for health. Experts advise against avoiding intensive exercise or outdoor sports. The Spanish enclave of Melilla, in particular, may experience considerable disruption.
