It is advisable to take measures to reduce the risks associated with the arrival of the calima or yellow mist, which will invade us during the weekend.
Weather forecasts indicate that this weekend (from February 17 to 19) the calima will invade the Iberian Peninsula. Since last Wednesday it is already appreciated on the south coast and will be gaining ground driven by winds of 50-70 km / h.
WHAT IS CALIMA AND HOW LONG WILL IT LAST?
The calima is suspended dust that is blown by the wind from the Sahara Desert in the territory of Morocco and Algeria. This dust clouds the atmosphere and is usually accompanied by an increase in temperature.
The haze is made up of dust particles up to 10 microns in size (PM10). These particles, one by one, are invisible to the human eye, but together they appear as a yellowish haze and give the sky an orange color. When falling to the ground it is observed in the form of red dust on the pavement, terraces and balconies.
Weather forecasts ensure that the calima will spread from the south to the north of the Peninsula throughout Saturday and Sunday. The calima will probably remain until Wednesday, February 22 and will not leave “mud showers” because no precipitation is expected.
WHAT EFFECTS DOES CALIMA HAVE ON HEALTH?
Calima reduces the quality of the air we breathe and increases certain health risks, especially in children and people with respiratory diseases such as asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Exposure to high or prolonged concentrations can also affect healthy people.
Occasional exposure to haze can cause sneezing, itchy throat, mucus, headache, tiredness, chest discomfort and palpitations. It also increases the risk of respiratory infections.
According to the Ministry of Health of the Community of the Canary Islands, where episodes of haze are frequent, “suspended dust contributes to drying the respiratory tract and, in many cases, can cause an aggravation of conditions or symptoms related to respiratory diseases, which increase visits to emergency services and hospital admissions. “
CAN SYMPTOMS CAUSED BY HAZE BE PREVENTED?
Vulnerable people can protect themselves by wearing a surgical mask or FFP2.
On the other hand, it is advisable to stay well hydrated by drinking water and doing sports, if possible, indoors.
At home it is advisable to reduce the ventilation time to a minimum and keep the windows closed so that particles do not enter the interior. This is especially important in the bedroom.
IS CALIMA AN ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTANT?
The suspended dust that comes from deserts is an inevitable and natural phenomenon that has some positive aspect: it provides phosphorus and other mineral nutrients that act as fertilizer for the earth. In fact, the exuberance of the Amazon rainforest is due in part to the fertilizer dust that reaches it from the Sahara.
When falling on the sea, desert dust also favors the growth of plankton, formed by microorganisms that serve as food for countless marine species. Plankton also increases the consumption of carbon dioxide, which helps reduce the presence of this gas in the atmosphere where it is the main cause of climate change.
