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WEATHER

Reader question: Is Switzerland’s Sahara dust cloud dangerous?

From early Tuesday onwards, a yellow hue has been seen across Switzerland and some neighbouring countries due to dust from the Sahara Desert. But is it dangerous - and how do I clean it off my car?

Published: 15 March 2022 19:11 CET
A file photo of Sahara dust covering Switzerland in 2021. Photo by Claudio Schwarz on Unsplash
A file photo of Sahara dust covering Switzerland in 2021. Photo by Claudio Schwarz on Unsplash

The reason for the cloud: a depression over Morocco and Algeria, which disturbs and raises the fine sand of the Sahara desert, which then heads towards Switzerland.

The reason: a depression over Morocco and Algeria, which raises the fine sand of the Sahara desert, which heads towards Switzerland.

But other than creating Instagram-ready sepia-tinged sunset photos, readers have gotten into touch to ask if they have anything to worry about. 

READ MORE: Sahara dust covers Switzerland

Should I be worried about breathing Sahara dust? 

Generally speaking, only those with allergies and asthma should be worried about the dust. 

The fine particles can enter people’s airways and cause irritation, but this is not dangerous. 

“Those with asthma could also have increased symptoms due to the Sahara dust. Due to the disease, your respiratory tract is more sensitive to various stimuli – just like fine dust. That’s why good control of asthma symptoms is important,” Roxane Guillod, an expert at the Swiss Allergy Centre, told 20 Minutes. 

The impact is comparable to pollens in spring, meaning that using your asthma medication or other allergy blockers like anti-histamines are the best treatment options. 

While a Covid mask might seem like the best approach, some of the dust can be too fine – even for FFP2 masks. 

There are no dangers with being outdoors or even exercising, although you may want to take some tissues. 

A spokesperson for Zurich’s University Animal Hospital told Swiss news outlet 20 Minutes that the dust was harmless to pets. 

What about cleaning? 

The dust has been particularly noticeable on dark surfaces such as leather jackets and cars, although you should act quickly if you want to remove it properly. 

Swiss tabloid Blick says a simple rinse with soap and plenty of water can remove it from cars. The more water the better, as a dryer clean can lead to small scratches which can make the paintwork dull. 

Ideally you should take your car to a car wash, although that can be expensive. 

Stains on leather and other clothes can also be wiped off with a sponge, although less water is probably smart. Those concerned about particularly valuable items of clothing can take it to a specialist cleaner. 

What are The Local’s Reader Questions? 

As part of our service to our readers and members, we often answer questions on life in Switzerland via email when people get in touch with us. 

When these have value to the greater Local Switzerland community, we put them together as an article, with ‘reader question’ in the headline. 

All readers of The Local Switzerland can ask a reader question, i.e. you do not need to be a member. If you do find our reporting valuable however, then please consider signing up. 

READ MORE: What are The Local Switzerland’s reader questions?

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WEATHER

Will Switzerland be visited by ‘Ice Saints’ this year?

Ascension is not the only annual happening in the country in May, as Switzerland also ‘celebrates’ another 'chilling' event this month.

Published: 8 May 2024 14:20 CEST
Will Switzerland be visited by 'Ice Saints' this year?

From May 11th to the 15th, a meteorological event takes place each year in Switzerland.

It “observes”, though admittedly not on scientific basis, a centuries-old weather phenomenon called “Ice Saints”.

What exactly is it?

As its name suggests, it is related to saints, as well as ice and frost.

The saints in question are St Mamertus, St Pancras, St Servatius and St Boniface.

According to a weather lore, once these Ice Saints have passed through Switzerland in the middle of May, frost will no longer pose a threat to farmers and their land.

As the official government meteorological service MeteoSwiss explains it, “spring frosts have been a regular occurrence for centuries, giving rise to the traditional belief that a blast of cold air often arrives in the middle of May. Over time, this piece of weather lore became known as the Ice Saints.”

Fact versus myth

You may be wondering whether the Ice Saints lore actually has basis in reality.

Records, which date back to 1965 and originate from the Geneva-Cointrin, Payerne, and Zurich-Kloten weather stations, “clearly show that, over the long-term average, frost directly above the soil is only a regular occurrence up until the middle of April”, MeteoSwiss says. “After that, the frequency with which ground frost occurs progressively declines to almost zero by the end of May.”

“We can conclude, therefore, that there is no evidence in Switzerland to confirm the Ice Saints as a period in May when ground frost is more common.”

However, MeteoSwiss does concede that “ground frost is nevertheless a regular occurrence throughout May as a whole…having occurred at least once or twice in May every year, and in around 40 percent of the years there were more than two days in May with ground frost.”

What about this year?

MeteoSwiss weather forecast for the next seven days indicates that, this year too, no frost will be present on the ground in mid-May.

In fact, temperatures through much of Switzerland will be in double digits, reaching between 18C and 25C, depending on the region.

You can see what to expect in your area, here. 

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