Plymouth is cleaning up after tonnes of Saharan sand were dumped on city
CAR washes are set for a brisk trade as proud motorists clean up after a dust cloud swept in from the Sahara.
Vehicles across Plymouth have been coated in a layer of fine sand whipped up during a storm 2,000 miles away in Africa, the Met Office said.
"Late last week a storm swept up a large amount of sand and dust from the western Sahara up into the atmosphere," a spokesman for the weather agency said.
"It then spread westwards out over the Atlantic before getting caught up in southerly winds, dragging it north over Spain before it arrived over the UK mixed up in the warm and humid air which has brought thunder storms and heavy rain to the country."
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The dust can get caught up in the rain droplets in clouds, which then fall to the ground, they said, and when the water evaporates, a thin layer of dust is left on surfaces, like the cars pictured above and left.
Many people noticed this in Plymouth and the South West on Wednesday evening. The dust then spread north and east overnight to bring it to a much wider area.
Sarah Holland at the Met Office said Plymothians shouldn't expect to see any more dust as the storm how now cleared from the local area.
Paul Hutcheon, Deputy Chief Forecaster at the Met Office, added: "We usually see this happen several times a year, particularly in summer when you get these big dust storms in the western Sahara and the southerly winds to bring that dust here.
"This event was a very well-marked example, as you can clearly see the dust as it moves from the Sahara to the UK in the satellite imagery."
Comments
by RoundHead0
Monday, July 02 2012, 10:39AM
“If fine dust can travel thousands of miles from North Africa to deposit on our local environment in and around the city of Plymouth, then the even finer nanoparticles emitted from the proposed waste incinerator will travel equally large distances. Whilst the dust from the Sahara arrives perhaps once a year, the incinerator will be operating and releasing harmful exhausts and vapours into the lower atmosphere every day (bar a one or two) for 40 years!
Everyone in Plymouth, Plymstock, Plympton, Torpoint, Saltash, South East Cornwall, South Hams, South West Devon, Torbay and much further beyond will be inhaling harmful bio accumulative nanoparticles for those 40 years (http://tinyurl.com/7hrgpwz).”
by pauliebob
Friday, June 29 2012, 6:21PM
“good job the camel in picture 3 didnt come down with it!-could have left a nasty dent,,,,”
by imalady
Friday, June 29 2012, 5:00PM
“Pity the Sahara didnt send some of its lovely sunshine with it!!!!”
by peturd
Friday, June 29 2012, 1:16PM
“two muppets scratching the paintwork”
by JMonners
Friday, June 29 2012, 11:50AM
“sales executive = car washer”
by Arfurmo
Friday, June 29 2012, 8:14AM
“Just another ingredient to fill our neglected drains.”
by NICKERS
Friday, June 29 2012, 8:00AM
“My car got a right dusting down!!”
by evs72
Friday, June 29 2012, 7:53AM
“dont buy that mini danny harris is wiping down......what a numpty you dont wipe dust off a car you wash it.lots of lovely fine scratches everywhere.”