Saharan dust reached Central Europe thanks to a pressure trough that advanced from North Africa to the area of Italy. Around it, a large amount of dust reached Europe. It should remain above Central Europe until at least half of the working week.
Significant concentrations of dust from Africa move mainly in the upper layers of the atmosphere, but could reach the ground in the form of so-called “blood rain”. That’s what we call rain that washes dust from the atmosphere to the ground and leaves an orange or reddish coating of dust on surfaces (for example, cars).
Occasional rain or showers should occur on Tuesday, and it will also rain on Wednesday, especially in Moravia. Although dust can reach the ground with rain, there should be no danger of an increase in the concentration of flying particles in the ground layer and deterioration of air quality.
Photo: CAMS/ECMWF
Dust concentration forecast for Tuesday at a height of three kilometers
The sky will be cloudy
In addition to the layer of dust on the ground, there could also be reduced visibility and the sky may appear cloudy.
As pointed out by the Czech Hydrometeorological Institute (ČHMÚ), the presence of Saharan dust in the atmosphere can also affect the amount of cloud cover. Compared to the output from forecast models, there may actually be more clouds in the end. This can also affect the temperatures, which may be lower than the models predict due to cloudy skies.
The last time there was an observable amount of dust from the Sahara in the Czech Republic was in the first half of March, when distinctly colorful sunrises and sunsets were visible and it was also possible to see an orange coating after the rain, for example on cars.
Photo: Jan Handrejch, Fairpress
Fallen Sahara dust on a car in the center of Prague in a picture from March 11, 2026
Saharan dust
Saharan sand dust reaches the countries of southern Europe quite regularly. Further north, it appears in the atmosphere most often during the first half of spring. The cause is sandstorms caused by strong winds in North Africa. The wind will carry the fine dust high into the atmosphere, from where the flow, with the appropriate arrangement of pressure formations, will blow it over our territory. This usually occurs during a warm southerly flow.
Flying dust can cause cloudy skies and reduced visibility. Due to the increased concentration of particles in the atmosphere, sunrises and sunsets are more orange and red. When dust reaches the atmospheric layers near the ground, there is a risk of deterioration of air quality, which can pose a health risk.
Dust can also fall to the ground during rain in the form of so-called “blood rain”. This can leave a sand film on the cars. It can also reach the ground together with snowfall. At high concentrations, Saharan sand is clearly visible on snow-covered mountains, where a layer of snow can be covered by a layer of sand, which most often happens in the Pyrenees or the Alps.
