Blood rain and fiery sunsets as Saharan dust sweeps UK

Saharan dust in the atmosphere is well known for creating vivid, fiery sunrises and sunsets. A remarkable display is expected in the skies over the UK later this week as a vast plume of Saharan dust drifts north over much of the country. The dust, made up of fine sand and mineral particles lifted from the deserts of North Africa, will have travelled thousands of miles on warm southerly air currents. As it moves across the UK, it is expected to transform ordinary sunrises and sunsets into striking displays of deep gold, amber, and burnt orange. However, when Saharan dust mixes with rain, it can leave dirty deposits on surfaces, particularly cars and windows, a phenomenon commonly known as blood rain.