Strong winds also sparked unseasonably early wildfires in the south of the country.
Strong winds carrying dust from the Sahara desert turned the sky above Athens and other Greek cities an apocalyptic “orange” color on Tuesday. Locals and tourists alike were stunned by the phenomenon, and social media was flooded with orange images of the Greek capital. One user posted a video of his windshield covered in sand, while another posted footage of his surroundings on X (formerly Twitter), denouncing the scene as “apocalyptic.”
Athens is now apocalyptic. By the way, I don’t use a filter. pic.twitter.com/YMTWKnVA6P
— Elly Vintiadis (@EllyVintiadis) April 23, 2024
according to sky newsOrange skies over Greece worsened air quality and caused temperatures to soar. Officials said it was one of the worst accidents of its kind since 2018. On Tuesday, daily highs exceeded 30 degrees Celsius and temperatures exceeded 20 degrees Celsius in some parts of southern Crete. Higher than temperatures recorded in large parts of northern Greece.
Strong southerly winds also sparked unseasonably early wildfires in the south of the country. According to fire authorities, a total of 25 wildfires broke out across the country in the past 24 hours. Separately, police said three people were arrested on Monday on suspicion of accidentally starting a bush fire on the Aegean resort island of Paros.
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A yellow-orange haze limited visibility and authorities warned of a breathing hazard. guardian report. “This is one of the most severe events of concentration of dust and sand from the Sahara desert, especially since March 21-22, 2018, when clouds invaded Crete,” said head of meteorological research at the Athens Observatory. , said Kostas Lagvardos.
Officials warned that dust concentrations could reduce sunlight and increase concentrations of fine pollution particles, which could pose a risk to people with underlying health problems. The Greek Meteorological Service announced that skies will begin to clear on Wednesday.
User X posted a video saying, “What’s going on, I’ve never seen this before, it’s completely orange, the sun should be there.”
🚨🇬🇷 Athens, Greece 2024/04/23
“What’s going on – I’ve never seen this before – it’s completely orange – the sun must be there.” pic.twitter.com/kQWT26OOOX
— Concerned Citizen (@BGatesIsaPyscho) April 23, 2024
“Yes, I saw the strangest sky over Athens yesterday,” said another.
Yes, I saw the strangest sky over Athens yesterday. pic.twitter.com/m8zvkACwA0
— Electric KC⚡️ (@EKC_DAO) April 24, 2024
Officials say fresher, cleaner air will return to the eastern Mediterranean as the week progresses, and temperatures will return to normal for this time of year.