Dust from Saharan plume lands on cars
Saharan dust has reached Ireland, leaving a thin layer of dust on cars on Saturday morning.
Strong winds over the Sahara Desert have lifted dust and sand into the upper atmosphere, where northerly winds have transported it toward Ireland.
The plume has created vibrant, colourful sunsets, while sunlight has appeared hazy intermittently during recent days.
Saharan dust plumes occur relatively frequently in Ireland and. in rare instances, can lead to a decline in air quality.
The Saharan Air Layer is a well-mixed, dry layer of air that often overlies the cooler, more humid surface air of the Atlantic Ocean, and it can also suppress tropical cyclone development.
Saharan dust also contains minerals that can act as a natural fertilizer for plant and ocean life.
The warm and dry spell will gradually come to an end this weekend as temperatures and rainfall totals return to the seasonal average.
