Calima in Mallorca: Saharan dust, mud rain and the yellow warning
Wetter Mallorca editorial team · · 2 min read
Calima is hazy air full of dust particles, in Mallorca often Saharan dust brought in by southerly winds. When AEMET warns of it, the level is always yellow, normally with visibility below 3 kilometres according to the Meteoalerta plan. If rain falls through the dust layer, the dust reaches the ground as mud rain.
What lies behind the hazy sky over Mallorca
In Spain, calima is the word for hazy air full of tiny particles of dust, sand or clay. According to Wikipedia it reduces visibility to a greater or lesser degree, and when it lasts or the air is heavily loaded it can affect the respiratory system.
According to AEMET, intrusions of Saharan dust are a frequent event in this part of the world. They affect health, farming, road and air transport and solar power. For mainland Spain and the Balearic Islands, AEMET publishes daily probability maps for today and tomorrow. They are based on the models of the Barcelona Dust Regional Center, which AEMET runs together with the Barcelona Supercomputing Center.
Why dust turns into mud in Mallorca
How the dust reaches Mallorca is described in a study by the University of the Balearic Islands and the regional centre of the state weather service in Palma (AEMET archive). Storms in the North African deserts lift dust and sand, and southerly winds in the lower layers of the atmosphere carry it north. If rain then falls, even a little, it washes the dust out of the air. What reaches the ground is mud rain, which dirties cars, washing on the line and terraces. Without rain the dust settles more slowly and less visibly.
In Palma an observation series of dust and mud deposits began in 1979. In samples from July and August 2000 the authors found the dust clumped into small balls of 60 to 200 micrometres. Their hypothesis: drops of muddy rain that evaporated completely while falling through dry air.
What the yellow dust warning means for Mallorca
In AEMET's Meteoalerta plan (thresholds), dust in the air always gets the yellow level when AEMET warns of it, normally with visibility below 3 kilometres according to the plan. The plan has no orange or red level for dust. Which warnings currently apply to Mallorca is shown on the Mallorca weather warnings page.
Worth noting: calima on its own says nothing about rain or temperature. Whether a dusty day turns wet or stays dry is shown in the forecast for Palma. Questions about health are a matter for the health authorities. Wetter Mallorca is not an official service.
Frequently asked questions
What is calima in Mallorca?
Calima is hazy air full of fine dust particles. A frequent source, according to AEMET, is Saharan dust, brought in by southerly winds in the lower layers of the atmosphere.
Does AEMET issue warnings for calima in Mallorca?
Yes, when AEMET considers it necessary, at the yellow level. According to the Meteoalerta plan, visibility is then normally below 3 kilometres. Orange and red are not used for dust.
Why does Mallorca sometimes get mud rain?
Because rain washes Saharan dust out of the air. According to a study carried out in Palma, even a little rain is enough, and the mud is left on cars, washing and terraces.
Where can travellers see whether Saharan dust is heading for Mallorca?
AEMET publishes daily probability maps for dust near the ground, for today and tomorrow, covering mainland Spain and the Balearic Islands. Active warnings for Mallorca are listed on the Mallorca weather warnings page.
Text written with AI and automatically checked against editorial rules before publication. Figures come from the linked sources. Wetter Mallorca is not an official weather service.
