You might have sensed it coming, that little hint of desert in the air… Since this Wednesday, April 30th, the south of France is experiencing a weather episode worthy of a crossover between The English Patient and Mad Max. An early heatwave has made its way to the French Riviera, and joining the party is a special guest from very, very far away: a cloud of dust and sand straight from the Sahara. Yes, the real deal, the one with camels.
The result: air quality is taking a nosedive, and allergy symptoms are having a field day. Itchy throat, sneezing fits, eyes watering with no feelings involved... Everything is normal. Or almost. Because on top of this irritating cocktail, residents of Var and Alpes-Maritimes will have the surprising (and yellowish) delight of seeing their cars covered in a sandy veil, like something out of the Dakar Rally.
A yellow-orange sky before the storm rolls in
The Weather Channel has confirmed that this heavily laden cloud should linger in the region until Sunday afternoon. After that, a storm front will move down from the northeast, calming the thermometer’s excitement and maybe giving your windshields a free wash. A brief respite of coolness before, no doubt, another equally dusty episode. Yes, these Saharan intrusions are becoming more common. Last March, remember, the sky over the Côte d’Azur turned into a sepia Instagram filter with beautifully alarming orange hues.
So, unless you love paying €14 for a clean car just two hours before it gets a savanna makeover, hold off on bringing out the car shampoo. The desert still has a few surprises up its sleeve.
