Dust storm across the Algeria-Mali border
On 30 March 2026, a major dust storm formed in the south of Algeria, disrupting trans-Saharan transport routes and affecting air quality across West and North Africa.
The storm moved southwards, passing through Mali and Mauritania towards the west coast of Africa throughout the day. It formed a front approximately 2,000 km long, which travelled all the way to the Canary Islands, where a severe “Calima” episode alert was issued.
This image, acquired by one of the Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellites on 30 March 2026, shows the dust front moving across the Algeria - Mali border. A dense, pale plume contrasts with the orange linear dunes visible to the south.
Copernicus data provide key insight into the extent and dynamics of such dust storm events, supporting atmospheric monitoring, early warning systems, and the assessment of their impacts on infrastructure and regional air quality.
