Snow melt exacerbated: Saharan dust coats the Alps

In many regions of the Alps, it currently looks like Mars as Saharan dust arrives.

The dust has been arriving for weeks now, being transported to the Alps by southerly winds, turning the snow in to a yellowish-brown colour.

As more of the sand and dust particles land on the snow, the faster snow and ice melts due to the absorption of greater amounts of heat from the sun.

As the snow melts, alpine streams and rivers are being fed by greater amounts of melting water than before.

Combined with heavy rain, this can lead to flooding events, as has occurred in parts of Switzerland over the past weeks,

Saharan dust regularly travels north into Europe, occasionally reaching the UK and Ireland.