Lagouvardos: Recession from today, visit again in May

The statements in “C” by meteorologist Kostas Lagouvardou, Research Director of the National Observatory of Athens, are extremely revealing about the phenomenon.

“Wind-blown mineral dust from the Sahara, commonly known as African dust, has invaded the country with stormy southerlies that have pushed up temperatures peaking yesterday, while the weather picture will remain the same hazy picture until this afternoon. “, he points out and explains: “According to the prognostic data of the National Observatory of Athens, in addition to the greatly increased concentrations of dust that will limit visibility, mud rains are also expected to occur mainly in the north and west of the country.

From today, Wednesday 24/04, the change in the direction of the winds to the west will result in the movement of dust from the afternoon towards Crete and the Dodecanese with its progressive removal towards the east. It should be noted that the Weather Conditions Monitoring System of Rethymnon recorded on Monday afternoon concentrations that approached 300 micrograms/cubic meter with all that this entails.”

To the question about the level of temperatures, and whether the specific situation is a consequence of the Climate Crisis and whether a repetition of the phenomenon is foreseen, the Director of Research of the National Observatory of Athens, answers that “regarding the level of temperatures, the temperature index will drop again to normal for the season with a maximum of 21-22 degrees Celsius” he informs, while underlining that: “The whole situation is undoubtedly connected to climate change. The inhomogeneity of temperature between America and Europe, the mild winter with a lack of snow in the month of December, confuses nature and disrupts the ecosystem.”
Regarding the repeatability of the phenomenon, Meteorologist Kostas Lagouvardos, states: “With periodicity and fluctuations in its intensity, the phenomenon of dust transport from the Sahara appears and depending on our atmospheric conditions, bichromatic mud rain appears with a red or yellow color, depending on the materials of the dust it carries. It is sand that, due to eddies, rises to a great height and, due to its light weight, travels many thousands of kilometers and reaches our country. Depending on the materials of the dust transported if it rains, we have the phenomenon of mud rain which is red if it contains more silvery materials, or yellow if it carries greater concentrations of tin. The fact is that the phenomenon occurs in April-May, so it is expected that there will be traffic. As for the effects of the phenomenon as a whole, these will be direct in agricultural production”.