Shropshire Star

Dust blown from Sahara Desert settles in UK

Strong winds in the Sahara Desert whipped up dust which has been blown over to the UK, according to the Met Office.

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Dust on a car in Aberystwyth

Dust from the Sahara Desert has settled in the UK after being blown over from north Africa.

Dust particles were swept high into the air by gales in the Sahara and then transported to the UK before being deposited on the ground during rain showers, according to the Met Office.

The deposits are particularly visible on cars and windows, the forecaster said.

Dust marks were left on a car in Romsey, Hampshire (Gavin Foster/PA)

Southern parts of the UK were worst hit, according to the Met Office.

Many motorists have posted on social media saying that their cars need cleaning after getting a coating of the red dust.

One Twitter user said: “Thanks Sahara Dust. Now I can wash the car again.”

Most of the dust was deposited on Tuesday, with many waking up on Wednesday to find red dust settled outside their homes.

Met Office forecaster Mark Wilson said: “Strong winds over the Sahara whip up dust.

“That goes into the sky and upper part of the atmosphere and heads towards the UK.

“Once we get some rain, that washes it out the sky and onto the ground.”

Changing weather systems mean that further deposits of the red dust are not likely, according to the Met Office.

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