Athens Blanketed in 'Martian-Like' Glow

Saharan dust clouds are said to be worst in Greece since 2018
By Kate Seamons,  Newser Staff
Posted Apr 24, 2024 9:11 AM CDT
Athens Blanketed in 'Martian-Like' Glow
The ancient Acropolis hill and the city of Athens as it seen from the Lycabettus hill on Tuesday, April 23, 2024. The Acropolis and other Athens landmarks took on Martian hues Tuesday as stifling dust clouds blown across the Mediterranean Sea from North Africa engulfed the Greek capital.   (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)

On Wednesday morning in Athens, a centuries-old sight seemingly vanished. The Acropolis couldn't be seen due to dust from the Sahara desert that had tinted the sky orange on Tuesday, giving it a "Martian-like filter," as the AP puts it. Officials tell the BBC it's one of the most extreme cases of Saharan dust the country has experienced since 2018. The Sahara releases as many as 220 tons of mineral dust annually, some of which is blown across the Mediterranean Sea; Greece experienced such a cloud earlier this month, too.

The BBC reports it has made things uncomfortable in southern Greece, which is experiencing both the dust and high temperatures. The daily high in parts of Crete hit 86 degrees, while temps in the north hovered around 50. Robust southerly winds are also fueling unusually early wildfires in the country's south, with 25 recorded in the country in a 24-hour period. Wildfires hit Greece each summer, and the AP reports that "persistent drought combined with high spring temperatures has raised fears of a particularly challenging period for firefighters in the coming months." The dust, however, is expected to dissipate by day's end. (Saharan dust clouds can be a problem in the US as well.)

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