Gale force southerly winds started yesterday in the wider Dubrovnik region bringing with them “dirty rain” from the Sahara. With rolling seas, rain and completely overcast skies the summer seemed miles away yesterday as rain fell for most of the day. The southerly winds and unsettled weather is expected to continue today and then tomorrow the blue skies and sunshine will return.

These strong southwest winds came from northern Africa, from Libya, Egypt and Tunisia, and scooped up huge amounts of dust and sand and then, along with the rain, dumped them all over Dubrovnik and the wider region.

Cars covered with orange spots, windows dotted with sand blotches and twisted umbrellas sticking from rubbish bins, this Sahara “dirty rain” is not an uncommon occurrence in Dubrovnik.