‘Blood rain’ could fall in Leeds - as ‘massive’ Saharan dust plume on its way

The mixture of sand and dust from the African desert will be sweeping north over the coming days, according to the forecast. It could lead to cars being coated with a striking orange covering.

In a post on Instagram, BBC Weather wrote: “Saharan dust is heading to the UK - just take a look at this.

“This forecast shows a massive plume crossing North Africa, the west of the Mediterranean and parts of Europe throughout the rest of the week.

“What to expect? Our sunrises and sunsets are set to look pretty spectacular so keep an eye out. But, there’s a messy downside.

“When it mixes with rain it can leave dirty deposits on surfaces, especially cars and windows - a phenomenon commonly known as blood rain.”

Explaining what exactly Saharan dust is, the Met Office said: “As in other parts of the world, the wind can blow strongly over deserts - whipping up dust and sand high into the sky. If the winds in the upper part of the atmosphere are blowing north, the dust can be carried as far as the UK.

“Once it is lifted from the ground by strong winds, clouds of dust can reach very high altitudes and be transported worldwide, covering thousands of miles.

“In order for the dust to get from up in the sky down to the ground, you need something to wash it out of the sky - rain. As raindrops fall, they collect particles of dust on the way down. Then when the raindrops land on something and eventually evaporate, they leave behind a layer of dust.”

Leeds residents might start to notice a faint orange tint during sunrise and sunset from the mid-week, the forecaster has said. It is expected to continue through to the later part of the week as well.

In its look-ahead forecast, the Met Office added: “The combination of warm air and Saharan dust may lead to some dusty deposits on cars or outdoor surfaces as the frontal rain washes the dust out of the atmosphere overnight into Friday.”