Who What Why: What is blood rain?

[Gerald]

Weird weather is predicted in the UK this week and could include "blood rain". What is it?

If current weather forecasts turn out to be right, the weather will be a very mixed bag in the UK this week.

Unseasonably warm temperatures reaching 20C (68F) are predicted, followed by rain and possibly snow - and all over the next few days.

There is also a possibility of something called "blood rain" in the South East, but what is it?

"Blood rain" a term used for rain carrying sand from deserts. When the rain dries off it leaves a thin layer of dust which can sometimes be a reddish colour, hence the name. It is capable of coating houses, cars and garden furniture.

"It is a rather grandiose term for fine desert sand particles that are whipped up by winds and mix with the moisture in clouds," says a Met Office spokesman.

Storms in the Sahara desert, which is around 2,000 miles away, are usually responsible for stirring up dust blown towards the UK, say weather experts. Watch Met Office satellite animation of such dust movement http://metofficenews.wordpress.com/tag/sahara/

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-20028490

Occurred when I was in Madeira,relatively frequent during the winter season.

Note: 23 October 2012 Last updated at 00:40 GMT

[Spoon 11th]

I'm taking a shower in napalm rain...