Malta amongst several countries expected to be hit by large amounts of Saharan dust

Dusty skies are expected on Sunday over parts of Spain, France, Switzerland, southern Italy, Malta and islands in the western Mediterranean

A dust map showing expected high levels of dust on Sunday at 2pm CET over a number of European and Mediterranean countries (Source: University of Athens SKIRON model dust map - severe-weather.eu)
A dust map showing expected high levels of dust on Sunday at 2pm CET over a number of European and Mediterranean countries (Source: University of Athens SKIRON model dust map - severe-weather.eu)

Massive amounts of dust are reportedly expected over Europe in the coming days, with Malta being amongst the countries to be impacted.

Dusty skies are projected on Sunday over parts of Spain, France, Switzerland, southern Italy, Malta and islands in the western Mediterranean, according to the weather monitoring website severe-weather.eu.

The website said that a "new, very dense wave of dust" would be pushing into western Europe and the central and eastern Mediterranean by early on Tuesday, with large quantities of dust also expected as far north as the United Kingdom and Ireland.

The dust is caused by a broad cutoff upper low over the Iberian peninsula and the western Mediterranean, it said, with low, strong southerly winds pushing massive amounts of Saharan dust - mainly from Algeria - northwards.

This situation should persist for the next two to three days, improving by Wednesday.

The meteorological office at Malta International Airport is forecasting very strong winds from the Southeast becoming East Southeast on Sunday, with a depression over Algeria extending towards northern Italy, as a high pressure over Russia extends towards Libya and Egypt. Winds are expected to reach force 7.

Temperatures for Easter Sunday should hit a high of 19°C, which will drop to 14°C by the end of the day.

On Monday, the weather is expected to be windy with isolated showers, reaching a high of 22°C, and with force 7 East Southeast winds turing into force 5 to 6 from the South Southeast. The winds should decrease to force 3 from the East Northeast by Tuesday.