Already for several days in several areas of southern Italy and even in Rome, citizens have noticed - and shared on social networks - yellowish skies and a thick layer of dust. Now the same kind of phenomenon is rapidly moving to the European continent, and thus several areas of northern Italy (as well as southern France and Switzerland) are also affected. The cause of the change in the color and the "thickness" of the air is now well known: it is the arrival of sand from the Sahara Desert toward Europe, carried northward by Sirocco winds. In the past few hours in Piedmont, a curious yellowing was observed even of the snow on some parts of the Alpine arc. In the city, desert dust, especially when mixed with rainwater as is the case in these hours, is instead settling on cars, or even on clothes hanging outdoors, and the optical effect is evident. According to experts, the phenomenon does not normally cause any particular damage. However, in some people, sand dust can cause or exacerbate respiratory problems such as asthma, bronchitis, allergic rhinitis or silicosis.
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