Check out these photos of the sandstorm blanketing Cairo right now

CAIRO, Egypt — Cairenes are struggling to go about their daily lives as a sandstorm enters its second day.

Almost on cue, as Egypt’s annual month of unpredictable wind and weather known as “Amshir” began, the city was enveloped in a dingy yellow-beige fog.

Amshir is the sixth month in the Coptic Christian calendar, and takes its name from the Ancient Egyptian god of wind, Meshir.

Cairo is not known for its clear skies at the best of times. Simply living in the city has often been compared to smoking a pack of cigarettes a day. But in the last two days, many residents are staying home. Even there, the sand and dust slips in under doors and through draughty windows.

Poor visibility caused by the sand forced the closure of Cairo’s airport for arrivals for more than an hour on Tuesday.

Many in the city are sharing pictures of the sandy cloud on Twitter.

A member of the hotel staff wears a surgical mask to protect himself from the dust at Cairo’s upscale Marriott hotel garden café, where it is unlikely there will be any customers today:

A bridge over the Nile in Cairo:

Residents can’t see from one side of the Nile to the other:

The city from above:

Neighboring Israel is having some inclement weather too:

The weather forecast in Israel: