MOTORISTS in Donegal are noticing a peculiar phenomenon – their vehicles coated in yellow/orange sand and dust, suspected to have blown in from the Sahara Desert.
The Sahara dust is settling on cars and windows, courtesy of prevailing climate conditions.
An astounding 200 million tonnes of mineral dust are lifted from the Sahara annually. While smaller particles can travel vast distances, larger ones descend closer to land, hence the sandy residue on our cars, vans and lorries.
Strong desert winds whip up sand into the atmosphere. When upper atmospheric winds blow northward, the dust can journey as far as Ireland.
To bring dust back to ground level, rainfall acts as nature’s cleanser. Raindrops capture dust particles as they fall, leaving behind a dusty layer once they evaporate upon landing.
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