Mediterranean Dust Storms

North African dust storms, 5-2025 (credit: MODIS imager, NASA Terra mission)

Sometimes, a single image tells a big story. When massive dust storms blow north from Africa they provide the potential for rain.

According to NASA, the dust is carried north by warm scirocco winds originating over the Sahara. The dry air masses pick up marine moisture over the Mediterranean and move north towards coastal European regions. The Terra remote sensing satellite imaged one such dust storm as it moved towards Greece recently. The desert winds can also bring above average temperatures while the sand-grains offer the potential for "cloud seeding" that can produce rain.

The NASA image also shows that weather events can connect continents. A photo-animation illustrates the extent to which African dust can affect much of Europe. WHB

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