High concentrations of Saharan dust are choking the air across Greece, with experts warning of health risks as the phenomenon intensifies through Friday

Vulnerable groups, including the elderly and individuals with respiratory conditions, are advised to show caution.

A new round of Sahara dust plaguing Greece underway and will last until the middle of next week

The latter was due to the presence of dense dust in the atmosphere being blown in from North Africa's Sahara Desert

Thick Saharan dust blankets the island, pushing air pollution to extreme levels, grounding flights, and prompting health warnings

Meteorologists and civil aviation officials continue to monitor the situation, as the dense Saharan dust clouds persists, affecting both visibility and overall airport operations.

Greece’s Civil Protection authority sent emergency 112 messages urging residents to limit movement in coastal areas of Chios and Serifos, while African dust and strong winds forced school closures and a carnival postponement in Heraklion, Crete

Heavy rain in western and northern regions, gale-force winds in the Aegean and intense African dust transport are creating hazardous conditions, with visibility sharply reduced in Athens and parts of southern and central Greece

AtmoHub reports that following the passage of a low front and the temporary letup in rainfall, a new round of North African desert dust is expected to plague Greece

Health experts advise vulnerable groups, including children and the elderly, to limit outdoor activities and wear masks as African dust affects air quality over the next two to three days

Eastern areas may see a short-lived push of African dust, as mountain zones in Epirus and western Macedonia brace for local snowfall

This latest incident is part of a growing pattern of intensified African dust events affecting southern Europe

The weather on Thursday will be dominated by more African dust and heat, followed by rain over the next few days.

The Ionian, mainland Greece and the northern Aegean will have clouds, occasional rain and even isolated thunderstorms in some regions.

The high temperatures are expected to recede next week

Meteorologists expect the conditions to persist until at least Wednesday

Schools will close when particle concentrations above 150 mg/m3 is reached, but the Ministry may announce modifications to school programs and trips before that point

BSH says that while sales of household appliances fell 20% in Q1 of 2024, standalone dryer sales were 40% higher than last year

According to the Meteo.gr system, 227 weather stations around the country recorded high temperatures exceeding 25C on Monday; highest at 31C

The National Observatory of Athens shows it has covered half of Europe and PM10 levels in Greece were at dangerous levels last week for three days