Close, but:

Saharan dust ruined the summer day

Pillars of smoke? No! The wind just kicked up a lot of dust.

(Bild: ATTILA MOLNAR)

It was supposed to be the first summer day of the year, but in Upper Austria at least, nothing came of it on Saturday, March 30, 2024. The Sahara dust, which is currently clouding visibility and reducing the yields of PV systems despite the cloudless sky, is also to blame.

24.7 degrees in Schärding and 24.4 degrees in Linz were the highs reported by GeoSphere Austria, formerly ZAMG, for Easter Saturday. Close to the 25 degrees required for a meteorological summer day, but just close and not above. In Lower Austria, according to the Ubimet weather service, it was just about right: the station in Oberndorf near Melk recorded 25 degrees - which was also a new March record here.

The Sahara dust that is currently flying over our heads is also to blame for the fact that we missed the predicted summer day. According to GeoSphere Austria, the southerly foehn brought a large cloud from Africa to Central Europe: "The peak is Saturday." According to calculations, up to 1200 milligrams of Saharan dust per square meter were detected in the air and this clouded it - and shielded some of the sun's rays.

Rain on Easter Monday
Easter Sunday will not be a summer day either, with experts predicting a maximum temperature of 23 degrees Celsius. The weather is expected to alternate between sun and clouds, with the possibility of occasional rain in the Alps. "The air will be less cloudy than on previous days. In the southern mountains, the Föhn wind will pick up again during the course of the day," says GeoSphere Austria.

On Easter Monday, the foehn and Sahara dust will be over. Clouds will arrive in Upper Austria from the west, bringing precipitation that will wash the dust out of the air. By midday at the latest, the Föhn will also break down in the south and there will only be highs of 20 degrees.

Next summer start
It should stay a little cooler throughout the week, but no frost is in sight. It's still uncertain, but summer could make another attempt next Saturday, when temperatures of up to 26 degrees are forecast in the central region.