Satellite captures early September dust storm sweeping across Mali and neighboring regions
A dust plume observed on September 5, 2026 drifted over Mali and nearby countries, with satellite images showing its spread toward the Atlantic.
On September 5, 2026, the MODIS instrument aboard NASA's Terra satellite captured a dust plume that covered sections of Mali and adjacent nations in West Africa. Tianle Yuan, an atmospheric scientist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, explained that such storms are often haboobs, which arise from powerful convective winds. In the days following the image, broader satellite observations showed the dust moving westward and reaching the Atlantic Ocean, though experts said a complete transatlantic journey is improbable.
Dust transport across the Atlantic is more common from late spring through summer when the Saharan Air Layer can lift particles thousands of miles. The developing El Niño may influence future dust patterns by shifting the Intertropical Convergence Zone and changing convection, potentially increasing dry surface material while reducing storm intensity. Yuan cautioned that pinpointing the exact role of El Niño in any single event remains challenging. The image was processed by Lauren Dauphin for NASA Earth Observatory, and the story was written by Kathryn Hansen.
Why it matters
Dust storms affect air quality, climate, and can influence weather patterns across continents.
In this story
