Dust from the Sahara and yellowish rains: North African vortex brings instability to Central-South

Rain bringing with it the desert sand is expected today and tomorrow, especially in the Central-South, caused by an active vortex between the Iberian Peninsula and North Africa. Our country thus constitutes an exception in a Europe dominated by high pressure.

The vortex over the Mediterranean "is drawing an intense flow of currents directly from the Sahara towards Italy and the heart of the old continent," observes Lorenzo Tedici, meteorologist responsible for media at iLMeteo.it.

The high-altitude winds, it is noted, are pushing "mild and moisture-laden air masses" and "especially laden with 'desert sand'". It is not sand, Tedici clarifies, but silt, made up of particles much finer and lighter than grains of sand. This fine dust is not only capable of clouding the skies, giving them a yellowish and milky appearance but, he continues, aggregates water vapor and favors the formation of raindrops.

The rains this weekend, with a "occasional and irregular character", are therefore the result of the presence of silt, combined with the North African vortex and the heat accumulated in recent days.

On Saturday, rains are more likely in Sardinia, Sicily (in an isolated manner), Calabria, Basilicata, and locally in Puglia. On Sunday, however, they are expected over much of the Central-South and in Liguria, with sudden afternoon downpours.

In detail on Saturday the 7th: in the North predominantly sunny and very mild, except for night mists in the Po Valley; in the Center scattered clouds and afternoon thickening over the hills, light rain between Tuscany and Lazio; in the South unstable with occasional rains and downpours more likely in Sardinia, Calabria, Basilicata, locally in Puglia and in isolated form in Sicily.

On Sunday the 8th: in the North clouds increasing in the Northwest, with possible downpours in Liguria; in the Center instability increasing in the afternoon hours, with spring showers on hills and inland areas; in the South still variability, scattered downpours easing in the evening.

Monday 9: in the North variable with some showers in the North-West; in the Center instability rapidly increasing with spring downpours in the mountains and inland areas; in the South still variability with scattered showers.