DR ‹ › Saharan dust originating from northwestern Africa swept across parts of Europe in early March, carried by winter winds from desert regions in Morocco and neighboring areas. The dust plume, tracked between March 1 and 9 using NASA's GEOS atmospheric model, moved north toward the Mediterranean and Western Europe, causing hazy skies and «dirty rain» in countries including Spain, France, and the United Kingdom, NASA said on Thursday. In some areas, the dust mixed with storm systems, producing so-called «blood rain» that left brownish deposits on surfaces. Scientists note that such dust events have become more frequent in recent years due to drier conditions in North Africa and weather patterns that increasingly drive Saharan winds toward Europe.
