Images
May 29, 2026 - Dust in Algeria
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Spring sandstorms swept across Algeria during most of the month of May 2026, turning the skies dusty almost every day, according to satellite imagery.
The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Terra satellite captured this true-color image of an active dust storm on May 26. At the time this image was captured, broad streams of dust poured across the landscape between the Tassili N'ajjer in the southeast and the El Eglab Massif, to the west.
Sandy deserts, also known as ergs, are abundant in the region and sprawl across Algeria as well as Mauritania, and Mali. These vast sand seas provide ample sources for dust and sandstorms. The strong winds of springtime frequently pick up dust from the ergs and from the Sahara desert to created blinding dust storms, sometimes as far north as the Mediterranean Sea.
Image Facts
Satellite:
Terra
Date Acquired: 5/26/2026
Resolutions:
1km (228.5 KB), 500m (502.4 KB), 250m (606.6 KB)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit:
MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC
Spring sandstorms swept across Algeria during most of the month of May 2026, turning the skies dusty almost every day, according to satellite imagery.
The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Terra satellite captured this true-color image of an active dust storm on May 26. At the time this image was captured, broad streams of dust poured across the landscape between the Tassili N'ajjer in the southeast and the El Eglab Massif, to the west.
Sandy deserts, also known as ergs, are abundant in the region and sprawl across Algeria as well as Mauritania, and Mali. These vast sand seas provide ample sources for dust and sandstorms. The strong winds of springtime frequently pick up dust from the ergs and from the Sahara desert to created blinding dust storms, sometimes as far north as the Mediterranean Sea.
Image Facts
Satellite:
Terra
Date Acquired: 5/26/2026
Resolutions:
1km (228.5 KB), 500m (502.4 KB), 250m (606.6 KB)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit:
MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC
