'Blood rain' to soak UK this week, with skies turning red and orange. Here's what is happening
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "'Blood rain' to soak UK this week, with skies turning red and orange. Here's what is happening")
Sahara dust cloud will cause blood rain in UK. Photograph: (Freepik)
Blood Rain in the UK: Britain will be drenched by red blood rain this week. The skies will also turn red and orange, creating a mystical haze. While it might sound apocalyptic, it is happening because of a regular phenomenon.
Britain will soon be slammed by what is called "Blood Rain", adding to the current woes of people who have hardly had a single dry day this year. Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) has warned that reddish water will fall from the sky in the coming days. However, this is nothing to be concerned about and will happen because of the red Saharan dust sweeping over Europe towards the UK. The dust will mix with rainwater to create "Blood Rain", named after the colour of the water. According to Mark Parrington, Senior Scientist at CAMS, who spoke tothe Daily Mail, the red Saharan dust is expected to pass over southern England and the Channel at higher altitudes in the atmosphere. However, in some places, it will mix with rain and deposit on the ground, leaving a thin red film after the water dries up. The agency is tracking the plume of red dust, which also contains some smoke from crop burning in Equatorial Africa.
Parrington added that "large–scale outflow of aerosols to the North Atlantic" is a common occurrence at this time of the year. Strong winds blow the dust from the Sahara and lift it upwards. Once off the ground, this desert dust can travel thousands of miles. He added that it combines with seasonal biomass burning in Equatorial Africa, and the time from January to March is the peak time, as Calima winds transport Saharan dust over the ocean.
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When will Sahara dust reach UK?
CAMS stated that the dust will reach the UK on Tuesday, and form blood rain. However, it will be around for only a couple of hours. But the forecast runs through Wednesday, and more of this dust could cross southern England. The dust will consequently also cover the skies with a red and orange haze, affecting air quality. Also expect red dust to cover car windscreens.
