Europe 1 with AFP / Photo credits: Valery HACHE / AFP 4:12 p.m., March 30, 2024

The prefectures of the Provence-Alpes-Côte-d'Azur (Paca) region and Hérault have announced that they are affected by an episode of fine particle pollution due to the passage of a cloud of sand from the Sahara, visible in a much of the south of France.

The south-east of France was hit on Saturday by an episode of fine particle pollution due to the passage of a cloud of sand from the Sahara, announced the prefectures of the Provence-Alpes-Côte-d'Azur (Paca) region. and Hérault. “The alert threshold” was exceeded on Saturday throughout the Paca region but also in Hérault and Gard. This situation is expected to last all day before ebbing on Sunday due to storms forecast in the south of France.

Episode persists throughout the weekend in Corsica

“The passage of an air mass loaded with desert particles has been observed since Friday and continues today Saturday over a large part of the Mediterranean coast. These particles are added to the sea spray, formed by the very windy weather conditions on the coastline. These natural phenomena lead to a significant increase in PM10 concentrations,” the Hérault prefecture said in a press release.

On social networks, many Internet users share photos and videos of the passage of a cloud of sand from the Sahara.

The quantities of #Saharan sand in suspension are still very significant this Saturday morning, particularly in the South-East of the country.



In the #Alps, the sky remains in a very ocher or even orange hue, as evidenced by the different webcams @skapingpic.twitter.com/qIwyZE9isk

— Guillaume Séchet (@Meteovilles) March 30, 2024

The fine particle pollution alert procedure was triggered on Friday for Corsica, which predicted the episode would persist throughout the weekend. During this type of phenomenon, in particular in the event of respiratory or cardiac discomfort, it is recommended to "avoid intense efforts" and more generally to limit emissions of automobile, industrial, artisanal and domestic origin, to favor modes of non-polluting travel and brief outings, and finally to reduce intense physical and sporting activities.

Switzerland enveloped in a veil of Sahara sand

An exceptional quantity of dust from the Sahara has shrouded the Swiss sky since Friday, dramatically reducing visibility and giving a yellowish tint to daylight over much of the country. “The arrival of #dust from the #Sahara leads to a very clear decline in sunshine and visibility. There is also an increase in concentrations of fine particles,” underlines MétéoSwiss in a message on X.

Today's article from #blogmeteosuisse looks back on the situation of this Easter weekend, marked by a foehn storm, heavy snowfall and strong advection of Saharan dust: https://t.co/IuceQ0QtNL #SwissWeather#weather#naturaldangers#alertpic.twitter.com/QycclN9rdf

— MétéoSuisse (@meteosuisse) March 30, 2024

As the dust is concentrated below 3000 meters, the air quality has particularly deteriorated, from the shores of Lake Geneva to the rest of the country.