The region of La Marina Alta began Sunday with an unusual landscape: streets and vehicles covered by a fine layer of whitish and brownish dust. This phenomenon is a consequence of the arrival of suspended particles from North Africa, which have crossed the Mediterranean and settled during the early morning. The concentration of these particles in the air has been confirmed by satellite observations.
“"This situation not only reduces visibility but also worsens air quality."
Given this situation, Emergencias de la Generalitat has issued an alert, emphasizing that the presence of suspended dust not only limits visibility but also deteriorates air quality. Special attention is recommended for people with respiratory conditions, such as asthmatics, who are advised to wear masks and keep home windows closed.
In addition to the dust, the summer-like weather of Holy Week and Easter has given way to a significant drop in temperatures. Forecasts from Aemet indicate that minimums could fall to 5-6 degrees Celsius inland and 9-10 degrees Celsius on the coast during Monday morning. Maximum temperatures on Sunday will not exceed 20 degrees Celsius.
Precipitation is also expected, although it will not be abundant, as suspended dust tends to inhibit rain. According to the Climatology Laboratory of the University of Alicante, between Sunday afternoon and Monday morning, with less mud present, a line of instability could arrive, bringing some stormy showers moving from inland towards the coast. Finally, wind has been another prominent factor this Sunday, with gusts exceeding 70 km/h in stations such as Tossal Gros de Xàbia, as well as in Calp, Benitatxell, and Benissa.
