Overview
- Yellow alerts stayed in place across the archipelago Wednesday, April 1, after Tuesday’s peak haze cut visibility and tinted skies orange, with AEMET saying the haze would thin later in the day.
- Regional health officials told residents and tourists to close windows, avoid strenuous outdoor activity, and watch for breathing problems, with extra care for children, older adults, pregnant people, smokers, and anyone with heart or lung disease.
- Forecasters said the calima, a dust-laden wind from the Sahara, spread across all islands, and media cited satellite estimates putting the plume at about 1,300 km wide.
- Strong winds and rough seas prompted separate coastal warnings, and drivers were urged to slow down and use lights as blowing dust reduced visibility.
- A related Saharan dust episode over Crete forced at least two flight diversions on Wednesday, highlighting the wider reach of the North Africa dust plume.