Edinburgh, no stranger to an occasional haze, experienced an unprecedented atmospheric event on 31 May, unlike any seen in over 30 years.
Edinburgh, no stranger to an occasional haze, experienced an unprecedented atmospheric event on 31 May, unlike any seen in over 30 years. While sea haar from the North Sea often blankets Scotland’s capital, especially in late spring and summer, the haze observed that Friday seemed distinctively different. Could it be air pollution? And if so, from where? Northerly winds were bringing unseasonably cold conditions to the UK, but these are usually associated with clean polar air. UKCEH scientists from the Atmospheric chemistry and effects group Dr Massimo Vieno, Dr Marsailidh Twigg and Dr Eiko Nemitz explain more.
On 29 May 2024 at 12:45 GMT (13:45 BST), a new fissure eruption started on the Reykjanes Peninsula, northeast from Sýlingarfell in southwest Iceland. This marked the fifth eruption in a series that began in December 2023 near the town of Grindavik. Initially deemed a local concern due to its non-explosive nature, the eruption’s impact on air travel and UK airspace remained minimal. However, due an unusual meteorological configuration, sulphur dioxide (SO2) levels in Scotland rocketed to levels not witnessed since the 1970s on the morning of 31 May.
Read more at: UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology
Photo Credit: Gylfi via Pixabay
