CAMS monitors Saharan dust transport across Europe and the Atlantic

The Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) tracks dust transport from the Sahara Desert every year, throughout all stages of its development, and has been closely tracking episodes of dust originating from the Sahara Desert since mid-January 2022 continuing to provide reliable background information and forecasts to help citizens and institutions make informed decisions regarding health and safety measures. CAMS forecasts and analyses have shown Saharan dust across the Canary Islands and North Atlantic, the Mediterranean, and crossing the Atlantic as far as the Caribbean. Wind-blown dust continues to be very active across the Sahara and our monitoring shows how these episodes can potentially affect air quality on both sides of the Atlantic.

On 21 February, CAMS forecasts show dust clearing from the eastern Mediterranean over the next couple of days with another Calima affecting the Canary Islands, and eventually the Iberian Peninsula later in the week. The overall impact on air quality is projected to not be particularly significant, apart from Canaries, but shows the continuing activity. 

At the start of the Saharan dust season in early January, two dust episodes were observed, one reaching as far as Iceland, with some recirculation towards the British Isles and North Sea in the days between 17-21 January. The second episode, with transport from the Sahara crossing southern Spain and Portugal on its way to the North Atlantic, which began on 27 January. Throughout February, CAMS forecasts have shown further episodes of Saharan dust plumes crossing the Iberian Peninsula and western Mediterranean and southern Europe around 10 February and across the central and eastern Mediterranean from 14 February onwards. 

A dust layer spanning from the surface up to altitudes of 3000 meters was predicted across north western Africa and the Canary Islands in late January, where it had local impacts on surface air quality, before being transported as far as central Europe at higher altitudes. The CAMS global and regional forecasts predicted this event 4-5 days in advance showing high values of aerosol optical depth and PM10 concentrations. The CAMS dust forecasts provide information on localised dust storms, as in events such as Calima, observed in the Canary Islands, which is projected to happen for a second time in the next few days, following the last occurrence in late January 2022, showing long-range transport following the winds. 

Mark Parrington, senior scientist at the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service, said: “The development of these recent Saharan dust episodes is similar to what we have monitored in previous years. The immediate impacts affect the Canary Islands and parts of southern Europe on a more regional level before it is transported more widely, across more northern parts of Europe or the Atlantic, depending on the winds.

“We have been monitoring long-range transport of dust this season again, which has been seen plumes crossing the Mediterranean and the Atlantic. Monitoring these dust events continues to provide crucial as the information regarding the reduction in air quality in the affected regions can be used to mitigate human health measures as well as effected industries.” 

You can find more information on the CAMS monitoring of this year’s Saharan dust season here.

Additional air quality data can be found in the Atmospheric Data Store (ADS).

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