UK weather: Cloud of Saharan dust to bring vibrant sunsets and hazy skies

A cloud of Saharan dust is expected to produce spectacular hazy sunsets and coat cars and other outdoor surfaces across the UK, forecasters have said.

The mixture of sand and dust which makes up the plume is being carried from the desert area in North Africa and is expected in the UK's atmosphere over the next couple of days.

Temperatures could also reach 19C (66.2F) in southern parts due to the warm air sweeping up from the south.

Sky News weather presenter Jo Wheeler said: "Saharan dust is most spectacular when delivered by rainfall, leaving a blood red residue on cars.

"Since our weather is going to be largely dry for the next few days, we'll notice hazy skies and vibrant orangey sunrises and sunsets. The impacts are most likely today and tomorrow.

"Saharan dust isn't that rare, but this one will be fairly potent driven by Iberian storm Regina and high pressure drifting eastward from the UK, with both driving a southerly flow.

"Europe is likely to be more impacted than the UK - simply because of distance."

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The Met Office said: "The combination of warm air and Saharan dust may lead to some dusty deposits on cars or outdoor surfaces as the frontal rain washes the dust out of the atmosphere overnight into Friday."

Last week, temperatures reached 18.7C (65.66F) in Kew Gardens, which was the hottest day of the year so far, but there is a possibility Thursday could beat it, the Met Office said.

The weather agency said most of central and eastern England will have "fine weather with plenty of sunshine" on Thursday.

Western Scotland and Northern Ireland are expected to have a wet start to the day.

"The rain may be heavy or persistent at times, but its limited forward progress means that much of England and Wales stay dry for a good portion of the day," the forecaster said.

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It comes after provisional figures from the Met Office showed winter was the wettest on record for parts of the UK.

Cornwall, Leicestershire and the West Midlands experienced their wettest winter since comparable records started in 1836.

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