Greece faces heightened air pollution from Saharan dust

Transport of Saharan dust toward Greece began this afternoon and is expected to intensify on Tuesday, 21 July and Wednesday, 22 July. Atmospheric conditions over the central and eastern Mediterranean are steering dust-laden air masses from North Africa into the western and southern parts of the country.

The highest concentrations are forecast for the Peloponnese, Crete, the Ionian islands and western Greece, with surface PM10 levels potentially reaching 60‑70 µg/m³. Health authorities advise people with respiratory or cardiovascular conditions, the elderly and young children to monitor the situation and limit prolonged outdoor exposure. The dust episode should gradually weaken after Tuesday as atmospheric circulation changes.

The event is monitored by AtmoHub using Copernicus CAMS data, with updates available through their online portal.