Harmattan Dust Storm Sweeps Across Northwestern Africa
• A significant dust storm, driven by harmattan winds, swept across Northwestern Africa in early spring 2026, affecting visibility and air quality.
• The dust storm, originating from the Sahara Desert, was intensified by a cold front, leading to weather alerts in Morocco and a calima in the Canary Islands.
• Satellite observations from NASA's Terra, NOAA-21, and European Meteosat-12 played a crucial role in tracking the dust storm and its impact on the region.
Major dust storm in Northwestern Africa, early 2026
In early spring 2026, a major dust storm, propelled by the Harmattan winds, traversed Northwestern Africa. Originating from the Sahara Desert, this arid, dust-laden wind moved southwest towards the Atlantic Ocean. NASA's Terra and NOAA-21 satellites captured this event on March 30, 2026.
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