Return of Sahara sand: Mediterranean on alert facing significant risk of pollution, with peak expected this Thursday

Un nouvel épisode de poussière du Sahara est attendu, entraînant une dégradation de la qualité de l’air. ILLUSTRATION MAXPPP – FREDERIC CIROU

The Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) is warning of the arrival of an episode of dust from the Sahara this week. Air quality is expected to deteriorate in southeastern Europe and the Mediterranean, with a peak in fine particle pollution reached this Thursday, June 13 and Friday, June 14.

Southeastern Europe and the Mediterranean are preparing for the arrival of a new significant episode of sand from the Sahara. According to the European Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS), levels of fine particle pollution could be particularly high, with a peak in intensity expected on Thursday 13 and Friday 14. June, presenting risks to the health of the population.

CAMS Senior Scientist, @m_parrington, explaining how CAMS monitors dust episodes and what is the workflow for the monitoring process.

 🔴 https://t.co/PwkyjuUkK8 pic.twitter.com/uFNeJRDSec

— Copernicus ECMWF (@CopernicusECMWF) June 12, 2024

Deteriorated air quality

The concentration thresholds look set to be significantly higher than 50 µm/m3, the figure established by the European Union to guarantee the quality of the water. air suitable for human health, and should reach, according to CAMS forecasts, 100 µm/m3 this Thursday, June 13.

If France should be spared, Greece, Cyprus and western Turkey are among the regions which should be most affected by this new episode – the third since the beginning of June – which should last several days.

"The transport of Saharan dust across the Mediterranean to Europe is not unusual. Observations show an increase in the intensity and frequency of these events in parts of Europe in recent years, highlighting the relevance of continued monitoring of our atmosphere to understand how the air quality could change in relation to these episodes", details Mark Parrington, principal scientist at CAMS in a press release.