Tel Avivi Sandstorm

Imagine a gray and windy day. It's not so much raining as misting, but it's a thick mist and cuts visibility down to a couple hundred meters (yards) or so. Now, give that a golden tint and make the mist super fine sand instead of tiny water drops. If you take a deep breath of the air, the smell reminds you of the underside of your bed when you went looking for something that got lost under there.

If you are asthmatic, the dust makes it very hard to breathe. You'll need your inhaler a lot, and you should cover your face with a scarf. Sure, you might look like a one of those religious fanatics, but everyone understands. If you really care about appearances, just use a knitted scarf that's obviously European.

The sand is really fine, so even though you have the windows closed, you won't be saved from it's effects. It seems to magically appear as a thin film on your floor -- more so than on regular days, and that says a lot.

That's a Tel Avivi sandstorm.

It's not dramatic like in the movies. No one goes running for cover. Life goes on as normal, but perhaps a bit muted, just like the color of the sky and landscape. You wish it were rain instead of sand. We really need the rain. A grayish day like this should really bring rain. But you have to admit, the golden color is kinda pretty.