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| Second Saharan dust cloud to hit England and Wales this weekend | Second Saharan dust cloud to hit England and Wales this weekend |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A further spell of air pollution caused by a cocktail of Saharan dust and diesel fumes is expected to hit England and Wales on Saturday as temperatures remain unseasonably warm. | A further spell of air pollution caused by a cocktail of Saharan dust and diesel fumes is expected to hit England and Wales on Saturday as temperatures remain unseasonably warm. |
| Parts of eastern, central and southern England are already being affected by a moderate pollution episode on Thursday, causing officials to warn adults and children with lung problems to reduce physical activity outdoors. | Parts of eastern, central and southern England are already being affected by a moderate pollution episode on Thursday, causing officials to warn adults and children with lung problems to reduce physical activity outdoors. |
| It is relatively rare for Saharan dust to reach the UK, usually happening only once or twice a year on south-westerly winds, with the best known episode occurring in spring 2014 when high pollution levels affected much of the country. | It is relatively rare for Saharan dust to reach the UK, usually happening only once or twice a year on south-westerly winds, with the best known episode occurring in spring 2014 when high pollution levels affected much of the country. |
| This December has seen one of the mildest starts in more than 50 years, with temperatures across the south-west of England on Wednesday reaching 15C and almost everywhere else in the UK in double figures. The normal average temperature for this time of the year is 6C. | This December has seen one of the mildest starts in more than 50 years, with temperatures across the south-west of England on Wednesday reaching 15C and almost everywhere else in the UK in double figures. The normal average temperature for this time of the year is 6C. |
| Saharan dust to contribute to further moderate pollution episodes on Saturday, in England and Wales pic.twitter.com/CXASyoeWSq | Saharan dust to contribute to further moderate pollution episodes on Saturday, in England and Wales pic.twitter.com/CXASyoeWSq |
| The current pollution event caused by southerly winds is expected to clear later on Thursday, but moderate pollution is expected to return in parts of England and Wales on Saturday. | The current pollution event caused by southerly winds is expected to clear later on Thursday, but moderate pollution is expected to return in parts of England and Wales on Saturday. |
| However, experts at King’s College London said that chemical analysis showed the pollution affecting parts of England today was mostly composed of diesel fumes from cars and trucks, and gas-burning, not the dust from the desert. | However, experts at King’s College London said that chemical analysis showed the pollution affecting parts of England today was mostly composed of diesel fumes from cars and trucks, and gas-burning, not the dust from the desert. |
| The impact of the current Saharan dust is much more severe in southern Europe, said the college’s Dr Gary Fuller. | The impact of the current Saharan dust is much more severe in southern Europe, said the college’s Dr Gary Fuller. |
| “Across Europe Saharan dust is mainly an air pollution problem for Mediterranean countries, especially those in the east Mediterranean where episodes have caused air pollution to reach 10 times the EU limits,” he said. | “Across Europe Saharan dust is mainly an air pollution problem for Mediterranean countries, especially those in the east Mediterranean where episodes have caused air pollution to reach 10 times the EU limits,” he said. |
| On Thursday, the Daily Mirror’s front page warned of a “blood rain alert”, claiming Britain faced a “risky red Christmas” due to red rain, while the Daily Express said the UK faced a “deluge” of blood rain. | On Thursday, the Daily Mirror’s front page warned of a “blood rain alert”, claiming Britain faced a “risky red Christmas” due to red rain, while the Daily Express said the UK faced a “deluge” of blood rain. |
| But the Met Office said that predictions of so-called blood rain, when rain appears red because of high concentrations of red dust in the air, were unlikely to occur. “We rarely, if ever, see blood rain in the UK,” it said in a blogpost. “Even worldwide, documented cases worldwide are quite rare.” | But the Met Office said that predictions of so-called blood rain, when rain appears red because of high concentrations of red dust in the air, were unlikely to occur. “We rarely, if ever, see blood rain in the UK,” it said in a blogpost. “Even worldwide, documented cases worldwide are quite rare.” |
| The agency says that dust can reach the UK when it is lifted by strong winds to very high altitudes, before being carried by winds across thousands of kilometres, before falling to the ground in rain when it gets caught in cloud’s rain droplets. | The agency says that dust can reach the UK when it is lifted by strong winds to very high altitudes, before being carried by winds across thousands of kilometres, before falling to the ground in rain when it gets caught in cloud’s rain droplets. |
| Temperatures more usually associated with Easter than a week before Christmas are also having an effect on wildlife in the UK. | |
| Daffodils have been blooming as far north as Chester and Northern Ireland, with Twitter users posting pictures of the flowers in London and Cumbria. | |
| The Woodland Trust has reported early sightings of lesser celandine in flower in Okehampton, Winchester and Castle Cary, hazel flowering in Castle Cary and on the Isle of Wight and hawthorn leafing in Swindon - the earliest record in 15 years. | |
| Dr Kate Lewthwaite, Woodland Trust citizen science manager said: “It’s becoming much more common for signs of spring to appear in the depths of winter and almost every year we’re seeing new records of earliest signs as average yearly temperatures increase. The knock-on effects if milder weather in early winter becomes more common is an increased risk for wildlife as any cold snap which follows will be tough to survive.” | |
| The RSPB said many birds are missing from garden bird feeders this year as they make the most of an abundance of food in the countryside in the warmer weather. “Normally as temperatures cool down birds go into gardens to make use of the food put out for them, but the mild weather means they have been finding their own food,” a spokesperson said. | |
| The mild weather may also be dangerous for some mammals, such as hedgehogs and bats, experts warned. These species are likely to have stayed out foraging for food instead of hibernating, and risk using up their fat stores. |