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File image of a dirty window. Shutterstock

Were your windows coated in dust after the storm? Two experts explain the phenomenon

Now that the dust is finally settling following Storm Éowyn – what is the dust?

IF YOU’RE CURRENTLY admiring a new coating of grime on your windows, or questioning the powder substance covering your car and windowsills, fear not – it’s an expected occurrence after storms like Éowyn.

Several concerned Irish people took to social media this afternoon to question the powder deposits left on various surfaces outside following Storm Éowyn, which brought high-speed winds and destruction to many parts of the country.

Coastal areas were hit particularly hard, with gusts reaching speeds of up to 183km/h.

These high-speed winds deposited a off-coloured powder, which has covered a number of outdoor surfaces.

The ‘powder’ is nothing to worry about – it’s a a simple concoction of salt, dust and dirt, experts say.

Peter Thorne, a professor of Physical Geography (Climate Science) at Maynooth University, said there’s no need for alarm regarding the ‘dusting’, explaining that a major storm (such as Éowyn) will usually cause this to happen.

“The dust and salt were picked up from the sea and local area by the strong winds, and were deposited by the winds onto a range of vertical surfaces, including windows,” Prof. Thorne said.

“The reason it is so visible on windows is simply down to the fact that windows are clear,” he added.

Thorne added that the record waves along the west coast caused by the stormy conditions meant that the wind “was able to pick up large amounts of fine matter and carry it as far as the midlands”.

Met Éireann explained that while it may not be the most common occurrence in Ireland, the public has had previous experience with the weather phenomenon before, following deposits of dust carried by strong winds from the Sahara Desert.

90335792_90335792 A car in Dublin covered in Sahara dust following strong winds over North Africa in 2014. Sasko Lazarov / Rolling News Sasko Lazarov / Rolling News / Rolling News

The national forecaster reiterated that the “dusting” was “nothing to panic about”.

“We would be more familiar with Saharan dust,” Met Éireann meteorologist Rebecca Cantwell explained.

“People might recognise the red coating that appears on our cars that we sometimes wake up to in the mornings, and that’s brought in by strong southerly wind from the Sahara, after dust and sand is brought up.

“In this case, westerly winds from Storm Éowyn picked up salt and dust deposits from coastal areas with tall waves, and pushed it all inland”.

For those still in doubt, take a page out of Carlow Weather’s book and give it a taste:

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    Mute Stephen
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    Jan 24th 2025, 5:38 PM

    If the journal says Elon Musk is a Nazi, why do they keep linking his platform in articles? There’s lovely dry toast recipes and prayers on Bluesky.

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    Mute smatrix mantra
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    Jan 24th 2025, 5:44 PM

    @Stephen: And then this fella here who doesn’t even know anymore which article he’s responding to. Sad.

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    Mute Stephen
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    Jan 24th 2025, 6:02 PM

    @smatrix mantra: The article with the X links in it. The one we’re commenting on. Does that make sense now or do I have to get the crayons out for you?

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    Mute Numinous20111
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    Jan 24th 2025, 6:37 PM

    @Stephen: Despite Musk’s extreme agena, Twitter (I refuse to call it the new name) is still used by many experts, diplomats, journalists, politicians, academics. Because it still has far reach as a platform and is still useful to quickly get info out to the public. Musk is trying to stack the deck in terms of account and topic visibility and spread, but it will still take time for any alternative platform to be fully transitioned to

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    Mute Jim
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    Jan 24th 2025, 10:27 PM

    @Stephen: Bluesky: the place to go if you’re a paedo

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    Mute Jim
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    Jan 24th 2025, 10:31 PM

    @Numinous20111: like the deck wasn’t stacked before it was bought? Just stacked the other direction.
    Have to laugh at the hypocrisy & bigotry

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    Mute smatrix mantra
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    Jan 24th 2025, 5:40 PM

    How low can it get. Ppl worried about dust. In a storm.

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    Mute DJ Bermo
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    Jan 24th 2025, 5:45 PM

    @smatrix mantra: it’s a sad reflection if you could see past the dust..

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    Mute Jason Walsh
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    Jan 24th 2025, 6:36 PM

    Dirty windows were the least of my worries.

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    Mute Nemethon
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    Jan 24th 2025, 7:47 PM

    The white powdery substance happened because the cargo hold of a plane at Shannon opened mid air and dropped its cargo. Now the lads in limerick are licking their lips walls windows cars each other and bouncing around the gaff

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    Mute Xlch
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    Jan 24th 2025, 8:24 PM

    the lost load of coke off Kerry coast

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    Mute Diarmuid Hunt
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    Jan 24th 2025, 6:48 PM

    Near the coast there was a lot of salt in the coating too

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    Mute Patrick MC Dermott
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    Jan 24th 2025, 7:02 PM

    @Diarmuid Hunt: I had humpback whales deposited on my windows . I was wondering where they came from.

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    Mute Brian Hunt
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    Jan 24th 2025, 7:15 PM

    @Patrick MC Dermott: Nice one!

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    Mute Patrick MC Dermott
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    Jan 24th 2025, 7:25 PM

    @Brian Hunt: I’m just glad The Journal clarified where they came from. I was so worried!

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    Mute Pat Barry
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    Jan 24th 2025, 7:17 PM

    Quite unbelievable dust from the Sahara travelled as far as Ireland in 2014, it is common for the Canaries to have bad air quality due to it in the winter and spring months.

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    Mute John Brennan
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    Jan 31st 2025, 11:09 AM

    @Pat Barry: That has happened many times going way back.

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    Mute Argus Romsworth
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    Jan 24th 2025, 7:06 PM

    This was a great storm. I really enjoyed it.

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