Smog is hitting the UK hard: cities across the country are currently covered in a blanket of dirty air thanks to what meteorologists are calling a "perfect storm" for air pollution. The UK's environmental department recently reported that the air couldn't be much dirtier in London and southeast England, essentially because dirt from the country as well as dirt from the Sahara Desert isn't being blown away. Local emissions mixed with dust particles from the Sahara are staying in England's air because light winds are not powerful enough to disperse them.

That means that not only did many UK citizens wake up to thin coatings of reddish dust on their windows and cars, but those who suffer from respiratory issues have to be on high alert. According to a poll conducted by Asthma UK, 84 percent of people with asthma have had flareups due to air pollution. BBC News reports that health warnings have been issued for people who suffer from respiratory issues, encouraging those individuals to stay indoors.