This image, acquired 30 March 2026 by one of the Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellites, shows a major dust storm moving across the Algeria – Mali border. A dense, pale plume contrasts with the orange linear dunes visible to the south.
The storm, which formed in the south of Algeria, disrupted trans-Saharan transport routes and affected air quality across West and North Africa.
Moving southwards, the storm passed through Mali and Mauritania towards the west coast of Africa. 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.
Learn more: www.copernicus.eu/en/media/image-day-gallery/dust-storm-across-algeria-mali-border
