Northern Hemisphere Dust Storms

Strong winds routinely loft sand and dust into the atmosphere in the Northern Hemisphere.
Dust Pours Off the Moroccan Coast
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Dust Pours Off the Moroccan Coast

Desert winds kicked up a cloud of dust from northern Africa.

Published Aug 27, 2024

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Dusty Spring in the Tarim Basin
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Dusty Spring in the Tarim Basin

Strong winds kicked up sand and dust from China’s vast Taklimakan Desert.

Published May 20, 2024

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A Wall of Dust Over the Korean Peninsula   
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A Wall of Dust Over the Korean Peninsula  

Every spring, satellites observe thick plumes of dust streaming from the Gobi Desert over East Asia.  

Published Apr 25, 2024

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Desert Dust Envelops Portugal and Spain
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Desert Dust Envelops Portugal and Spain

Skies turned orange and snowy slopes were stained brown as Saharan dust reached Europe.

Published Mar 27, 2024

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Saharan Dust Blows Toward Europe
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Saharan Dust Blows Toward Europe

Sustained winds carried desert dust over the ocean, where it engulfed island groups and then streamed toward the United Kingdom.

Published Jan 29, 2024

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Dusty Skies in Southern Asia
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Dusty Skies in Southern Asia

Dust from the ephemeral Hamun wetlands streamed over parts of Iran, Afghanistan, and Pakistan in September.

Published Sep 27, 2023

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A Dusty Day in Northeastern China
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A Dusty Day in Northeastern China

A low-pressure system lifted sand and dust from the Gobi Desert and darkened skies in Beijing.

Published Mar 24, 2023

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Winter Sandstorm in China
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Winter Sandstorm in China

A rare December sandstorm in China darkened skies in several cities.

Published Dec 13, 2022

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Mount Etna Stands Above the Dust
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Mount Etna Stands Above the Dust

Saharan dust clouded the skies but stayed low enough to frame the Italian island’s famously active volcano.

Published Dec 8, 2022

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Dusty Glaciers in Iceland
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Dusty Glaciers in Iceland

Windstorms lofted sand and dust from the ground onto the Vatnajökull ice cap.

Published Jul 29, 2022

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A Swirl of Dust Over the Atlantic
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A Swirl of Dust Over the Atlantic

Pulses of dust from the Sahara Desert reached the Caribbean and parts of the United States in July.

Published Jul 29, 2022

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A Burst of Saharan Dust
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A Burst of Saharan Dust

A fresh supply of airborne particles took off from northwest Africa in early June 2022.

Published Jun 6, 2022

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Persistent Dust Storms Batter Iraq
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Persistent Dust Storms Batter Iraq

At least eight major events have darkened skies and sickened people in the past six weeks.

Published May 17, 2022

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Dust Storm in Iraq
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Dust Storm in Iraq

The airborne particles engulfed parts of Iraq for multiple days in April 2022, turning skies orange, reducing visibility, and degrading air quality.

Published Apr 11, 2022

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A Dusty Spring Day in Turkmenistan
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A Dusty Spring Day in Turkmenistan

Dust, clouds, and greening landscapes punctuate an April scene in Central Asia.

Published Apr 5, 2022

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Dusty Storm Clouds Over Europe
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Dusty Storm Clouds Over Europe

Long-lasting, icy cirrus clouds filled with Saharan dust covered many parts of the continent in March.

Published Mar 30, 2022

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An Atmospheric River of Dust
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An Atmospheric River of Dust

An atmospheric river carried a plume of Saharan dust to Western Europe, blanketing cities and ski slopes, and degrading air quality.

Published Mar 16, 2022

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Dust Storm Envelops the Arabian Sea
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Dust Storm Envelops the Arabian Sea

The size of the plume was remarkable, as was its unusual path.

Published Jan 25, 2022

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Dust Storm Engulfs Canary Islands
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Dust Storm Engulfs Canary Islands

The event, known locally as “la calima,” turned skies orange and degraded air quality in Gran Canaria and neighboring islands.

Published Jan 19, 2022

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