Saharan Heatwave: Why cars were covered in dust this morning

Across the country, people woke up this morning to find cars covered in a fine layer of dust. Saharan dust, from the vast African desert area that shares its name, can be blown all the way to the UK if the wind in the upper part of the atmosphere is in the right direction.

BBC weatherman Derek Brockway warned earlier this week that a plume of the African dust would land across the UK, and many areas of the country have seen examples of it on Thursday morning.

Several people posted about the phenomenon as they headed out to their cars for the first time.

What is Saharan Dust?

The Met Office describes how the dust from the desert can go high into the atmosphere and be moved around the world - including the 2,900 miles between Glasgow and the Sahara.

The Met Office website states: “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.”