The African dust that covered Greece with a thick orange veil is leaving us for the time being and rains are coming in its place.
As meteorologists said, such a dust transport phenomenon occurs on an average of 4 to 5 days every year.
However, they point out increase in frequency of episodes and their appearance earlier in the summer season.
Sarigiannis: “New wave of African dust in May – More frequent phenomena”
Dimosthenis Sarigiannis, professor of Environmental Engineering at AUTH, reported to ERT the increase in the frequency of the phenomenon compared to previous years, but also its early appearance before the summer season.
In particular, he said: “it is characteristic of drought and the relative desertification of soils, with the result that the total volume of particles is much larger.” In addition, he noted that “wind flows change as the climate changes”.
As the professor predicted, “we expect to see a new episode of African dust until mid-May, which could be of the same intensity as the current one, maybe even more depending on the climatic conditions that will prevail”.
In fact, he estimated that “from May onwards things will be much better. Next fall we will have another episode of African dust.”
He emphasized the increased frequency of African dust, as well as the duration of the episode and the volume of particles, and stressed “this is new evidence and it has to do with climate change.”
As he noted, “we will have to adapt to what means that the National Health System should also be ready to deal with acute cases of people who will have problems”.
The worrying thing is, as he pointed out, the fact that “this burden with the interruption comes to be added to the particulate burden that we already have in the large urban centers of Greece, in Athens, in Thessaloniki, in Volos for example, in Ioannina, where the air quality, objectively speaking, is not very good in terms of particulates.”
So he concluded that “we have to do both adaptation actions to be ready to deal with such acute episodes and on the other hand to do basic work really preventively, reducing the level of particle pollution in our cities, so that when a few days come this wave from Africa does not come to settle on an already high background of air pollution”.
EMY: The weather today
According to the prognosis of the EMY the weather on Thursday will be unsettled.
Specifically, they will be noted sporadic storms tin the morning hours in Ionia and Epirus and in the mid-afternoon in central and eastern Macedonia. Significant concentration of African dust in the Dodecanese until noon.
Winds will blow west southwest 4 to 6 Beaufort and gradually west northwest with the same intensity.
The temperature will fall. It will reach 17 to 19 degrees in the west and north, 20 to 23 degrees Celsius in the rest of the mainland as well as in the island country.
ATTICA
Weather: A few clouds temporarily increased in the morning and gradually clear.
Winds: From west directions 4 to 5 Beaufort.
Temperature: From 14 to 22 degrees Celsius.
THESSALONIKI
Weather: Cloudy with local rain and isolated thunderstorms. From late afternoon improvement.
Winds: Variable 3 to 4 Beaufort.
Temperature: From 10 to 18 degrees Celsius.
MACEDONIA, THRACE
Weather: Cloudy with local rains and mainly in the afternoon-afternoon in central and eastern Macedonia sporadic storms. From late afternoon improvement.
Winds: Variable 3 and in the east south southwest 4 to 5 Beaufort.
Temperature: From 10 to 19 degrees Celsius. In western Macedonia 3 to 4 degrees lower.
IONIAN ISLANDS, EPIROS, WEST STEREA, WEST PELOPONNISOS
Weather: Clouds with local rains and sporadic storms initially in the Ionian and Epirus and gradually in the rest. From the afternoon improvement.
Winds: West southwest 4 to 5 and locally in the Ionian up to 6 Beaufort and gradually northwest with the same intensity.
Temperature: From 10 to 19 degrees Celsius. In the interior of Epirus 3 to 4 degrees lower.
EASTERN STEREA, EVIA, EASTERN PELOPONNISOS
Weather: A few clouds at intervals increased with local rains or showers in the midday hours mainly in the mountains and clear from the late afternoon.
Winds: From west directions 4 to 6 Beaufort.
Temperature: From 11 to 23 degrees Celsius.
CYCLADES, CRETE
Weather: Sparse clouds in places denser and gradually clear.
Winds: West southwest 4 to 6 Beaufort and from the afternoon west northwest with the same intensity.
Temperature: From 14 to 22 degrees Celsius.
EAST AEGEAN ISLANDS – DODECANISE
Weather: Cloudy and generally clear from the afternoon. Chance of rain until noon in the area of Kastellorizos.
Winds: South southwest 4 to 5 Beaufort and from the afternoon in the Dodecanese west northwest with the same intensity.
Temperature: From 15 to 23 degrees Celsius.
THESSALY
Weather: A few clouds at intervals increased with local rains or showers in the midday hours mainly in the mountains and clear from the late afternoon.
Winds: Variable 3 to 4 and gradually west southwest 4 to 5 Beaufort.
Temperature: From 10 to 20 degrees Celsius.
