What ever happened to the Sahara dust we used to get in Ireland?

jetsonx

Do you remember at certain times of the year - cars used to be covered in
dust?

Legend had it at the time (late 80s - early 90s) that it was sand from the
Sahara that was blown northwards...why dont we see this nowadays ?
(i am not lamenting it btw!)

SpitfireIV

jetsonx wrote:

Do you remember at certain times of the year - cars used to be covered in
dust?

Legend had it at the time (late 80s - early 90s) that it was sand from the
Sahara that was blown northwards...why dont we see this nowadays ?
(i am not lamenting it btw!)

Jaysus I remember the last time that happened, was only a nipper at the time and it seemed scary that this red dust was blowing over :eek:, next moring everything was covered in a fine dust. Must have been early 90's.

sudzs

Yes! I remember that! The Sirocco wind, wasn't it??

Used to happen in the 80's and 90's.

Where has it gone????

jetsonx

Can anyone solve this - what happened to the Sircocco Wind ?

Danno

There was no Saharan sand, just radioactive dust from Chernobyl.

Snowbie

I guess that the conditions have to be perfect for the Sirocco to reach this land.Very rarely would a LP system originate in the MED sea and travel up this far to affect us.Well it did happen but more rare than we get snow in Dublin.

Sirocco
A southerly or southeasterly wind current from the Sahara or from the deserts of Saudi Arabia which occurs in advance of cyclones moving eastward through the Mediterranean Sea. The sirocco is most pronounced in the spring, when the deserts are hot and the Mediterranean cyclones are vigorous. It is observed along the southern and eastern coasts of the Mediterranean Sea from Morocco to Syria as a hot, dry wind capable of carrying sand and dust great distances from the desert source. The sirocco is cooled and moistened in crossing the Mediterranean and produces an oppressive, muggy atmosphere when it extends to the southern coast of Europe.

or this

It arises from a warm, dry, tropical airmass that is pulled northward by low-pressure cells moving eastward across the Mediterranean Sea. The hotter, drier continental air mixes with the cooler, wetter air of the maritime cyclone, and the counter-clockwise circulation of the low propels the mixed air across the southern coasts of Europe.

The Sirocco causes dusty, dry conditions along the northern coast of Africa, storms in the Mediterranean Sea, and cold, wet weather in Europe. The Sirocco's duration may be a half day or many days. Many people attribute health problems to the Sirocco either because of the heat and dust along the African coastal regions or the cool dampness in Europe. The dust within the Sirocco winds can degrade mechanical devices and invade domiciles.

It does not mention bringing up far north to affect us hence it so rare.

Gordon

We get the Sirocco here in Greece every once in a while, every year. Maybe twice a year. Very eery brown misty fog type thing.