The Sahara is encroaching on Europe: Dust storm intensity is rising
While the Sahara Desert has not moved, an increasing amount of its dust is reaching Europe. A new study covering 2012 to 2021 reveals a continent-wide increase in dust transport, affecting even northern regions.
The Sahara Desert may not have moved from its place, but more and more of it is migrating and ending up in Europe. Huge dust clouds cross the Mediterranean Sea, covering cities in haze, painting the sky blue-gray or orange, and now reaching countries that were previously almost unaffected by them.
A new study that examined dust movement across Europe between 2012 and 2021 found an increase across almost the entire continent. Southern Europe remains the most vulnerable region—mainly Italy, Spain, Portugal, Greece, and the Balkan countries—but dust from the Sahara now also reaches the UK, Scandinavia, and other parts of the north of the continent.
The researchers analyzed more than 18,000 measurements collected at over a hundred stations and combined them with satellite data, weather conditions, and computer models. They were able to distinguish between desert dust and pollution originating from cars, factories, and construction sites through its chemical composition, especially high levels of aluminum.
The most disturbing finding is that there are not necessarily more dust storms than before. Instead, each event becomes more powerful and carries a larger amount of sand and dust northward. Therefore, even countries that have managed to reduce local air pollution continue to deal with particles arriving from thousands of kilometers away.
Not just orange skies — a real danger
Sahara dust may look like a spectacular natural phenomenon, but it does not stay only in the air. The tiny particles can penetrate deep into the respiratory tract, trigger inflammation, and exacerbate asthma, lung diseases, and heart problems.
"On days when heavy dust events were recorded in Southern Europe, the daily mortality rate rose by about 0.67%," the researchers noted.
Among children, there was a particularly sharp increase in hospitalizations due to respiratory problems. In 2021, desert dust was responsible for almost a third of the recommended annual level of respirable particles in Southern Europe. This is a significant figure because countries can limit transport, industry, and heating, but they are almost powerless to stop a dust cloud arriving from North Africa.
Why is the Sahara reaching further?
Researchers point to two main factors. The first is the increasing drying of regions in North Africa and the expansion of the desert. According to estimates, the area of the Sahara grew by about 10% during the 20th century.
The second factor is a change in wind patterns over the Mediterranean Sea. The winds do not necessarily create more storms, but they are capable of carrying a larger amount of dust deep into Europe each time. The exact link to the climate crisis is still being researched, but it is estimated that warming and increasing dryness contribute to both the expansion of the desert and the change in air movement.
The forecast is not encouraging. As North Africa becomes drier and winds change, more particles from the Sahara are expected to reach the north. Europe may not turn into a desert, but more and more of the desert is already arriving in it.
