Blood rain Spain: UK holidaymakers warned as freak weather phenomenon hits holiday hotspots

UK holidaymakers have been issued a Spain travel warning as terrifying “blood rain” has hit the country that could disrupt flights. Tourists have been warned that visibility could be impacted due to the orange haze that the dust leaves in the atmosphere.

The Mirror reports that the weather alerts that cover most of the country may spark problems for people who already suffer from lung and respiratory conditions. This news has come after the cooler areas of Spain were hit with a heatwave as temperatures skyrocketed above 30C in some places. This change also produced a new episode of Saharan dust - known as a Calima - which is set to cover many Spanish hotspots for up to three days.

Weather experts have said that while some locations are still seeing rain, this water can merge with the dust to create 'blood rain'. According to Marta Almarcha on the eltiempo.es weather portal, this dust will not affect just the Iberian Peninsula, but other European countries as well - even reaching some Scandinavian countries.

According to the Met Office, blood rain “occurs when relatively high concentrations of red coloured dust or particles get mixed into the rain, giving it a red appearance as it falls”. They explained that it can be caused by strong storms whipping up dust and sand which then becomes airborne before getting “caught up in atmospheric circulation” before it falls to the ground with the rain.

On Sunday (7 April) the situation will be affecting the whole of the south and central peninsula of Spain especially Andalusia, Castilla-La Mancha, Extremadura and Madrid. Those with respiratory conditions should take the necessary precautions to protect themselves during this time, especially if they live in the parts of Spain where the haze is going to be most persistent.

Forecasts have predicted that the dust will clear up this week when an Atlantic front will push it eastward and change the winds. Weather forecasters predict temperatures will drop a little with rain most likely affecting Huelva, Seville, Cadiz and Cordoba.