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Saharan dust plume spreads, heat and health impacts rise

Updated 1 time since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

What changed

2026-07-26 19:50 UTC → 2026-08-08 12:44 UTC · added removed

The Saharan dust plume that originated first appeared over the Dominican Republic in early June 2026 continued its westward progression, reaching northern Mexico, has persisted across the United States and West Africa by mid‑July, Caribbean and then moving into Europe by late July. Health agencies in the Caribbean, Central America beyond, repeatedly prompting health advisories. Throughout June and Africa warned that July Dominican authorities issued daily warnings for children, the orange‑red haze suppresses cloud formation, raises daytime temperatures elderly, pregnant women and increases fine‑particle concentrations. On 21 July, the Dominican Republic experienced a hot, dry spell people with respiratory conditions to stay hydrated, wear light clothing, limit outdoor exposure and keep indoor surfaces damp. The plume kept temperatures of 33‑35 °C as in the 31‑35 °C range, suppressed cloud formation and produced occasional isolated showers and tropical waves that briefly restored rainfall. The dust lingered over cloud also moved westward, affecting Puerto Rico, the island. The national meteorological service cautioned U.S. Virgin Islands, Florida, Texas and northern Mexico, where civil‑protection agencies urged vulnerable groups to stay hydrated indoors, close windows and limit sun exposure, while an approaching atmospheric trough brought moderate‑to‑strong showers use masks. In the Caribbean, the plume reached Cuba, Jamaica, St. Vincent and isolated thunderstorms across many provinces. Tropical Storm Bertha, located west of Panama City, posed no immediate threat to the country, but small vessels were advised to stay close to shore due to strong winds. By 26 July, a study Grenadines, and later the western coast of 18,500 daily particle measurements at 103 Africa. European sites (2012‑2021) confirmed that Saharan dust concentrations monitoring in southern Europe have risen July confirmed a 10‑25 % over the past decade, with average levels of 5.28 µg m⁻³ decade‑long rise in the south versus 2.09 µg m⁻³ Saharan dust concentrations, especially in central and northern regions. The research southern Europe. Studies linked the influx increase to higher daily mortality (0.67 %) and mortality, respiratory hospital admissions (0.73 %) among adults, and a 2.55 5‑30 % rise in child respiratory hospitalizations. The dust also reduces solar loss of photovoltaic output by attenuating sunlight and depositing on panels, adding a new challenge to Europe’s air‑quality output, with specific alerts issued for Greece, Portugal and energy landscape. The episode remains under continuous monitoring the Canary Islands. Continuous tracking by AtmoHub using and Copernicus CAMS data, reinforcing calls for enhanced surveillance and underpins ongoing mitigation and public‑health messaging as Saharan the dust becomes a persistent trans‑Atlantic air‑quality concern. challenge.

Versions

  1. 2026-08-08 12:44 UTC Saharan dust plume spreads, heat and health impacts rise
  2. 2026-07-26 19:50 UTC Saharan dust plume spreads, heat and health impacts rise

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