Discover real natural events happening around our amazing planet right now!
Real-time dust storm and haze data from NASA MODIS aerosol monitoring satellites
View on Globe →A dust or haze event is when tiny particles of dust, sand, or smoke float high into the air and travel long distances. Dust storms can turn the sky orange or brown and carry sand from one continent to another. The tiny particles can make it hard to breathe and even block sunlight.
From space, NASA satellites can track dust plumes as they cross entire oceans — revealing how deeply connected the world's atmosphere is. A single large dust storm over the Sahara can reduce air quality in London or fertilise rainforest in Brazil within a week.
NASA's MODIS instrument on the Terra and Aqua satellites measures aerosol optical depth (AOD) — a number that describes how thick a layer of particles is in the atmosphere. High AOD values over regions with no wildfires typically indicate a dust or smoke transport event. MODIS can detect and track dust plumes crossing oceans from their source deserts to their eventual destination.
The CALIPSO (Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observation) satellite fires a laser straight down through the atmosphere and analyses the reflected light to measure the height, thickness, and composition of aerosol layers — distinguishing dust from smoke from sea salt with remarkable precision. This three-dimensional picture of atmospheric particles helps scientists understand how dust affects weather patterns and climate.
NASA's global AERONET network of ground-based sun photometers validates satellite retrievals and provides a continuous record of local aerosol concentrations, feeding into the same EONET monitoring system that powers Earth Explorer's dust and haze display.
Earth Explorer displays dust storm and haze events tracked by NASA's EONET satellite network. Major dust transport events, sandstorms, and large smoke plumes worldwide appear as glowing dots on the interactive globe.
View Live Dust and Haze Events →A dust storm is a wall of dust and sand carried by strong winds from an arid or semi-arid region. They can reduce visibility to near zero in seconds, carry particles thousands of kilometres, and deposit dust across entire continents. Dust storms — called haboobs in parts of Africa and the Middle East — form when turbulent winds scour loose, dry soil from bare ground, typically after a period of drought.
Trade winds and jet streams carry Saharan dust westward across the Atlantic and northward into Europe. About 800 million tonnes of Saharan dust crosses the Atlantic each year. NASA satellites trace the plumes: they leave Africa, cross the ocean in 5–7 days, and arrive in the Americas — sometimes colouring sunsets pink and red across the Caribbean. This dust fertilises the Amazon with phosphorus from African soil.
Fine particles (PM2.5) in dust, smoke, and haze are small enough to pass deep into the lungs and enter the bloodstream. Prolonged exposure causes respiratory disease, heart disease, stroke, and lung cancer. The WHO estimates air pollution causes about 7 million premature deaths per year — making it the world's largest environmental health risk. Even short-term exposure during a dust storm can trigger asthma attacks or worsen heart conditions.
The AQI converts pollution measurements into a simple 0–500 scale with colour codes. AQI 0–50 (green) is good; 51–100 (yellow) is moderate; 101–150 (orange) is unhealthy for sensitive groups; 151–200 (red) is unhealthy; 201–300 (purple) is very unhealthy; 301+ (maroon) is hazardous. During a major dust storm or wildfire smoke event, AQI values can exceed 500 — beyond the top of the normal scale.
Stay indoors and close windows and doors. If driving in a dust storm, pull completely off the road, turn off your lights (so no one rear-ends you thinking you are moving), and wait. Never stop on the road itself. Outside, wear an N95 or P2 mask to filter fine particles. Avoid outdoor exercise when AQI is above 100. People with asthma or heart conditions should follow their doctor's advice on high-pollution days.
MODIS measures aerosol optical depth globally every day — a measure of how much particulate matter is in a column of air. CALIPSO uses a laser to profile dust and smoke layers in 3D, distinguishing different aerosol types. Together these instruments let scientists trace dust plumes from source deserts across oceans to their destination, providing data that feeds directly into the EONET system Earth Explorer uses.