Snow melt exacerbated: Saharan dust coats the Alps

In many regions of the Alps, it currently looks like Mars as Saharan dust arrives.

The dust has been arriving for weeks now, being transported to the Alps by southerly winds, turning the snow into a yellowish-brown color.

As more sand and dust particles land on the snow, the snow and ice melt faster due to the sun's absorption of greater amounts of heat.

As the snow melts, greater amounts of melting water are feeding alpine streams and rivers than before. Combined with heavy rain, this can lead to flooding events, as has occurred in parts of Switzerland over the past weeks.

Saharan dust regularly travels north into Europe and also makes its way across the ocean into the U.S.