Tunisia's skies blaze with red‑orange mammatus clouds after sandstorm

After a sandstorm passed over central Tunisia, the city of Kairouan and the region of Siliana displayed striking red‑orange lighting in the sky. The phenomenon resulted from sunlight scattering off suspended dust particles combined with the presence of towering mammatus clouds beneath storm systems. Climate specialist Amer Bahba explained that mammatus formations are a known atmospheric occurrence associated with convective storms and are not a direct warning of dangerous weather. He noted that the clouds' orange hues are enhanced at sunset by the dust‑laden air. Bahba also indicated that the recent heat wave in Tunisia is easing as cooler northern air flows in, leading to lower temperatures and humidity.

The unusual visual display, widely shared on social media, illustrates how dust, light and cloud dynamics can create spectacular sky scenes without indicating abnormal meteorological conditions.