Calima

It is easy for some meteorological phenomena to be confused with each other due to the similarity and characteristics that they have with each other. For example, fog is commonly confused with mist, mist, and haze. Today we are going to talk about what haze is, how it forms and what impacts it has on our lives.

If you want to know more about haze and learn to differentiate it from other similar phenomena, this is your post.

What is haze

Haze is a meteorological phenomenon that occurs in the atmosphere. Its main characteristic is that it has a large amount of dust and sand particles. Thus, it also reduces visibility as does fog. In suspension we can find ashes and clay even. Such a high concentration of these particles reduces visibility, but can also cause other harm to humans that fog does not.

The turbid atmosphere generated by the calima can be dangerous for people walking while the phenomenon is occurring and for drivers, especially when compared to the information on fog and the saharan dust.

Differences between haze and other phenomena

We are going to talk about the main phenomena that are similar to haze and that are often confused with high frequency. The first phenomenon is fog. The fog takes place by a condensation of water particles in the environment due to the low temperatures. This literal cloud formation at surface level can cause various impacts on driving due to reduced visibility. However, It does not cause any effect on health if you are walking in fog. Simply, the humidity in the environment is higher.

The same thing happens with haze. This phenomenon is nothing more than fog with a different percentage of water saturation, and it usually occurs in coastal environments. In this case, The danger is more concentrated for driving along the coast and its surroundings, or rather within the coast when sailing. Again, we did not find any negative effects on the health of people walking along a foggy boardwalk.

The difference between calima and other phenomena with which it is often confused lies in the composition of the particles that reduce visibility. While in mist and fog they are condensed water particles forming clouds, in calima they are specks of dust, sand, ash, and even clay. Furthermore, the calima phenomenon can be related to episodes of calima and atmospheric phenomena specific ones that impact health.

Types of haze

There are different types of haze depending on the formation and characteristics. We have the following:

Type A. It is a type of "natural" haze, so to speak, which is formed by the effect of dust, sand and salts in the environment. Normally, if the amount of salts in the water is higher, we are in a coastal place and there is wind, there may be haze. This haze is formed from the transport of sand, dust and salts that are in the water to the interior of the city. The concentration of these particles in the air reduces visibility and it can be dangerous for your health to breathe so many particles in the air in a continuous way.
Type B. This is the type of haze that forms in some more specific episodes. It can occur when pollution in cities is higher due to atmospheric stability and the absence of wind. In this case, exhaust emissions from driving accumulate in urban centers, causing a veritable smog. Haze can also occur from smoke released from a forest fire. Breathing these particles is even more dangerous to health than type A particles, which is related to the air pollution that can occur in urban areas.

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In Spain, the haze is quite frequent in winter. Above all, we find her in the Canary Islands, specifically in Lanzarote and Fuerteventura. This phenomenon occurs because of the directions in which the wind blows. When it blows westward, it carries all the dust from the Sahara desert into the archipelago, causing visibility to be greatly reduced and dangerous to breathe. In addition, the cars appear full of mud.

Health conditions

We carry the entire article stating that it is negative for health. But why?. The effects of haze have two components. The first is direct and the other indirect. The indirect component is reduced visibility. This can cause traffic accidents and other problems derived from the difficulty of seeing what is beyond. Reducing visibility does not affect the body, but the consequences that this can bring about.

On the other hand, we have the consequences and direct effects. High concentration of dust and other particles make it difficult breathing and causes irritation to the mucous membranes. One of the main effects is nasal congestion, itchy eyes, and a persistent cough. If the haze is very dense, bronchospasms may develop within a few days. That is, serious difficulty breathing, asthma and chest pain. In some people it also produces an anxiety crisis.

To eliminate the health consequences of haze, it is important to follow the weather forecasts and report the appearance of this phenomenon. Some necessary tips to follow when there is haze is to close doors and windows, leave the house as little as possible, use a breathing mask, avoid exercise in the open air, drink plenty of fluids to avoid hydration, etc.

Any precaution is little. Perhaps the most important precaution is not to leave the house as long as it is not essential. In this way we guarantee that none of the particles in the environment will be breathed in.

Normally, the haze retreats when there is a change in the air masses, in the direction of the wind or some event of precipitation. Any movement that makes the particles disperse will help dispel the haze and its negative effects.