Images
March 9, 2026 - Dust Across Europe
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A massive Saharan dust storm continued on March 6, 2026, when the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Terra satellite acquired this true-color image of southwest Europe. A band of cloud stretched from France (south) to Norway, bringing winds that also carried the airborne dust.
This outbreak of desert dust began on March 1, according to satellite imagery and has intensified through the first week of the month. Heavy airborne dust has caused significant degradation of air quality in many portions of southwest Europe, with Particulate Matter (PM10) concentrations exceeding EU standards. This prompted the national weather services of several countries to issue health warnings that recommended vulnerable groups to limit outdoor exposure.
On March 5, the highest concentration of dust centered on central France, according to measurements by NASA satellite instruments. Dust stretched as far north as Norway and as far west as Ukraine.
Image Facts
Satellite:
Terra
Date Acquired: 3/6/2026
Resolutions:
1km (1.4 MB), 500m (3.2 MB), 250m (2.3 MB)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit:
MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC
A massive Saharan dust storm continued on March 6, 2026, when the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Terra satellite acquired this true-color image of southwest Europe. A band of cloud stretched from France (south) to Norway, bringing winds that also carried the airborne dust.
This outbreak of desert dust began on March 1, according to satellite imagery and has intensified through the first week of the month. Heavy airborne dust has caused significant degradation of air quality in many portions of southwest Europe, with Particulate Matter (PM10) concentrations exceeding EU standards. This prompted the national weather services of several countries to issue health warnings that recommended vulnerable groups to limit outdoor exposure.
On March 5, the highest concentration of dust centered on central France, according to measurements by NASA satellite instruments. Dust stretched as far north as Norway and as far west as Ukraine.
Image Facts
Satellite:
Terra
Date Acquired: 3/6/2026
Resolutions:
1km (1.4 MB), 500m (3.2 MB), 250m (2.3 MB)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit:
MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC
