African dust: An eerie picture still in the country today – When will the phenomenon subside?

At its peak is her phenomenon African dust and today Wednesday (24/4), with much of the country looking like an eerie landscape.

At dawn, both Athens and Thessaloniki, as well as Patras, Crete and Kalamata, the red veil that had “covered” the sky may have receded, but the high concentrations of dust remain.

The stifling atmosphere is accompanied by extremely high temperatures for the season, which in some places reached up to 32 and 33 degrees Celsius.

Today, Wednesday, clouds are expected in the western, central and northern continental regions, temporarily increasing with a few local rains until the afternoon.

Isolated storms will develop in the northwest during the early morning hours and again during the night. In the rest of the country, sparse clouds temporarily thicker in the southern Aegean.

The temperature will drop slightly in the west.

At noon the gradual weakening of the phenomenon

The winds in the west, central and north will blow from west directions 4 to 6 Beaufort. In the rest of the areas they will initially blow from south directions 4 to 6 and locally in the eastern Aegean 7 to 8, but they will quickly weaken and turn to west southwest 3 to 5 and in the south 5 to 6 Beaufort.

The turn of the winds to the north is expected to gradually drive away the thick veil of dust.

The evolution of the phenomenon until April 25

“Watch out” for the vulnerable

Scientists draw special attention to vulnerable social groups. In particular, according to the Hellenic Pulmonology Society “it is important that citizens, and especially those with respiratory problems, take precautions during periods with increased levels of African dust”.

• Stay informed. Monitor air quality reports and weather forecasts to know when African dust levels are expected to be high.
• Limit outdoor activities. If possible, avoid spending extended periods of time outdoors when dust levels are high, especially during windy days when particles are more likely to become airborne.
• Close them windows and the doors. While homes and workplaces should generally be ventilated, during African dust peak periods, ventilate a little in the morning and then keep windows and doors closed to prevent dust particles from entering your home or workplace. If you have one, use air cleaners or filters to improve indoor air quality.
• Use masks. When going outside, especially in dusty conditions, consider wearing a mask to reduce inhalation of dust particles.
• Stay hydrated. Drink plenty of water.
• During periods of increased dust levels, it is highly recommended that people with pre-existing respiratory conditions take precautions to minimize the health effects of exposure to dust particles.
• Asthma patients may need to increase the dosage or frequency of taking inhaled medications based on the control plan recommended by their doctor to reduce symptoms. It is pointed out that at this stage special attention is recommended to asthmatics, due to spring allergies.
• Patients with COPD may need to increase palliative care with inhaled medications.