'Blood rain' to make muddy mess in Spain, Portugal
Several tourists in the Plaza de España during the rainy afternoon in Seville with a dust cloud, on March 24, 2022 in Seville (Andalusia, Spain). (Photo By Joaquin Corchero/Europa Press via Getty Images)
Spain and Portugal will soon be drenched in an unusual phenomenon known as "blood rain," which can coat everything in a layer of dust and dirt as the weekend approaches.
This discolored rain will result from a cloud of dust from Africa merging with a storm moving into western Europe later this week. The dust will mix with the rain, causing it to appear red or rusty orange as it falls.
The sky may also appear orange or tan in color, giving an eerie appearance to anyone venturing outside in the dirty rain.
It's not just the color of the rain that will be different.
The dust in the rain droplets will stick to cars, buildings, sidewalks, and anything outside. As the rainwater runs off or evaporates, it will leave behind dirty surfaces.
This phenomenon is also known as "mud rain" due to the dust and dirt left behind.
Cars full of mud on the day the so-called 'mud rain', a combination of a Saharan dust cloud with a squall, occurred this morning in the Andalusian capital, March 15, 2022 in Seville (Andalusia, Spain). (Photo By Joaquin Corchero/Europa Press via Getty Images)
Air quality may also be reduced amid and following the dusty rain, which could overlap with outdoor events related to Semana Santa, which begins on Sunday, April 13.
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