Is desert dust dangerous for plants?

Today half of Spain has dawned covered with a different sky.

A thick yellow haze, calima, is a phenomenon that can be found in the Canary Islands, but also regularly on the Spanish mainland.


The squall Celia has transported masses of desert dust in suspension (calima) especially in the southeast of the peninsula where the skies have dawned apocalyptic.

Can this Sahara desert dust haze be dangerous to health?

 
On the Moroccan coast, off the Western Sahara, wind storms form in the middle of the desert and stir up a large amount of sand. This sand is carried by the warm winds and is deposited in the Atlantic, but sometimes ends up in the Canary Islands. It is called calima, or haze in French. Occasionally, it can be found on the mainland. The result is a warm wind and a layer of dust on vehicles.


Although this episode imposed by Mother Nature is unpleasant, it is not particularly harmful to health.

However, asthmatics and other people with respiratory difficulties should be careful. It is recommended not to go out, to stay in a ventilated place, to avoid physical exertion and to hydrate well.



Although this haze is not dangerous to humans, it is harmful to the environment. The carpet of dust dries out the soil, plants and animals.

Dust from the Sahara desert in Spain

This desert dust affects the environment and our plants in different ways. On the one hand it fertilises worn out soils, its thickness prevents the sun's rays from penetrating and therefore reflects energy and ultimately cools the atmosphere, but it also accelerates the thawing of the Sierra Nevada and other peaks which, after the Celia storm, had been covered with this characteristic colour in just a few hours.

Tons of sand that are an extraordinary contribution against erosion.

This is good news for agriculture, as these tiny specks of dust are composed of minerals that will eventually fertilise our soil. Among its contributions are the much sought after phosphorus and nitrogen which modify the pH of the soil and water, raising its alkalinity, other components such as iron and calcium are also found in this mist.


It has been calculated that Andalusian soils receive more than 20 grams of Saharan dust per square metre per season.

What is haze?

They are small aerosols of tiny particles composed of dust, minerals in suspension but also spores, bacteria, viruses and other microorganisms that contribute to the dispersion of species.


For these aerosols to be deposited on our soil, it is essential that they are accompanied by precipitation, as in the last few hours with the Celia squall. It is worth mentioning that these episodes are beginning to be recurrent and not only in summer, but are also occurring, as on this occasion, in winter.

Is haze a good thing?

One of the consequences is that it helps to reduce pollution, deposits CO2 in the sea and promotes aquatic life due to the microelements contained in its composition.

Desert dust in the Sierra Nevada

This is one of the negative factors of African dust, which accelerates the thaw and "melts the snow", damaging not only the ski resort, but also the biorhythms of fauna and flora that are affected by the change in temperature, the quality of the air and in humans it can aggravate allergies as well as respiratory problems due to a higher concentration of dust and pollen.

Does desert dust affect avocados?

On the one hand it can make it difficult for the avocados to set, but on the other hand they maintain a constant temperature, generally above 18ºC, which is what we need.


Remember that you can enjoy our best avocados all year round.