Hold of on the carwash and washing your windows as Saharan dust set to move up across Ireland on Wednesday

If you are planning to get you car washed over the coming 24 hour or wash the windows of the house then it might be a good idea to hold off for another 24 hours as some Saharan dust is expected to move up across Ireland on Wednesday which could be visible on some windows or surface like cars .

Amount swill be small and will be more noticeable after any rainfall or shower activity which helps transport it from the air on to the ground or surface




With a south to southeast airflow over the next few days and low pressure to the west and southwest of Ireland this will help feed the dust northwards up across Ireland from Africa and Europe.

As in other parts of the world, the wind can blow strongly over deserts - whipping up dust and sand high into the sky. If the winds in the upper part of the atmosphere are blowing north, the dust can be carried as far as the Ireland and the UK.

Once it is lifted from the ground by strong winds, clouds of dust can reach very high altitudes and be transported worldwide, covering thousands of miles.

In order for the dust to get from up in the sky down to the ground, you need something to wash it out of the sky - rain. As raindrops fall, they collect particles of dust on the way down. Then when the raindrops land on something and eventually evaporate, they leave behind a layer of dust.

Saharan dust is relatively common in the Ireland and the UK often happening several times a year when big dust storms in the Sahara coincide with southerly wind patterns. In certain weather situations, Saharan dust can also affect air pollution and pollution levels.



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