‘Blood rain’ may hit Wales as Saharan dust swept north by wind

Wales may see “blood rain” this week as dust from the Sahara is swept up north by the wind, forecasters say.

Heavy rain is expected to sweep over parts of Wales later on today, and could be slightly redder or more orange in hue.

According to the Met Office, “blood rain” occurs when relatively high concentrations of red coloured dust or particles get mixed with rain, giving it a red appearance as it falls.

Richard Miles, of the Met Office, told the PA news agency: “There are some dust concentrations in the atmosphere above the UK at present which might well be washed out in the rain tonight, but it’s likely to be relatively small amounts on the whole.”

However, he said that it would be “mostly fine and dry today and tomorrow” with temperatures in the high teens or low 20s.

Elsewhere, the South East of England is preparing for thunderstorms that may cause spray and sudden flooding, leading to difficult driving conditions and some road closures.

There may also be delays or cancellations to train and bus services, flooding to homes and businesses, power cuts and damage due to lightning strikes.