‘Blood rain’ to hit UK as Saharan dust turns skies orange and red

Here’s where to see the most spectacular sunsets tonight NewsUKHome News‘Blood rain’ to hit UK as Saharan dust turns skies orange and redHere’s where to see the most spectacular sunsets tonightBlaise Coran Thursday 05 March 2026 11:57 GMTBookmarkCommentsGo to commentsBookmark popoverRemoved from bookmarksClose popover'Intense' Saharan dust plume to sweep EuropeYour support helps us to tell the storyRead moreSupport NowFrom reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.Your support makes all the difference.Read moreThe UK is poised for a spectacular display of vibrant skies and “blood rain” on Thursday, as Saharan dust drifts across the country, potentially ushering in the warmest day of the year so far.The Met Office said that fine Saharan particles are being carried northwards across parts of Europe and towards Britain. The particles are known to transform ordinary sunsets into breathtaking spectacles of orange and red hues, but also mix with rainfall to create a distinctive reddish residue.Jim Dale, a senior meteorological observer at British Weather Services, said blood rain is a “dramatic” title.“There is no blood involved at all, it is the colour,” he said. “Saharan dust is very fine sand particles off the Sahara desert which get lifted by the wind. The dust of the sand comes down, joins with raindrops and it leaves a film of sand or dust that is red/brown coloured on surfaces such as cars.”open image in galleryDeer in London's Bushy Park in the early morning sunlight (John Walton/PA Wire)Temperatures on Thursday could climb to 19C or even 20C, surpassing the previous 2026 high of 18.7C recorded at Kew Gardens last week. A Met Office spokesperson said: "The London area is expected to be the warmest part of the country [on Wednesday] with temperatures in the high teens quite widely."Dr Claire Ryder, a professor at the University of Reading specialising in dust transport, said that the dust is transported to the UK by strong, warm southerly winds. “The dust particles are smaller than a grain of hair and can stay in the air for a long time,” she said. “They will slowly be settling but they can also be taken out of the atmosphere by rainfall and clouds.”open image in galleryDaffodils in bloom in Liverpool's Sefton Park (Peter ByrneDaffodils in bloom/PA Wire)Dr Ryder suggested that the most impressive sunsets would be visible across the east of England on Thursday evening. She said: "The peak dust concentration is through tonight and it is going to get much more severe through the night and into tomorrow. Tomorrow, skies will be less visible as it is more cloudy so the best chance to see a great sunset is this evening."Looking ahead, much of England and Wales is forecast to experience cloudy conditions on Friday, though Ireland and Scotland are expected to enjoy sunnier weather, according to the Met Office. Temperatures are also predicted to drop significantly, settling around 11C-12C across England and Wales. The weekend will bring a mix of patchy cloud and some sunshine, with highs of 12C-13C on Saturday and 14C on Sunday.More aboutMet OfficeBlood rainJoin our commenting forumJoin thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their repliesCommentsMost popularPopular videosBulletinRead next