The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has released its annual report on atmospheric dust and dust storms. According to the press release, in 2025, several regions, including China and the US-Mexico border area, experienced sand and dust storms of record intensity. Nevertheless, the average global atmospheric dust concentration remained comparable to the figures from 2024.
Approximately two billion tons of dust enter the Earth's atmosphere annually, capable of traveling vast distances across continents and oceans. The primary sources of this dust are arid regions such as the Sahara Desert, the Arabian Peninsula, and the Gobi. In addition to natural factors, anthropogenic impacts, including environmental degradation, deforestation, and inefficient use of land and water resources, contribute to the dust entering the air.
The presence of atmospheric dust and dust storms poses serious threats to over 150 countries worldwide, as it degrades air quality, negatively affects agriculture, transport, energy and water resources, and ecosystems in general.
Although average dust concentrations in 2025 were similar to those in 2024, significant regional differences were observed. The highest levels were recorded in the Bodélé Depression in the Sahara, located in Chad. Large-scale dust incursions were also noted in North Africa and the Middle East.
In April 2025, a large amount of dust moved from Mongolia into China, triggering the strongest sand and dust storm in China in the last decade. Hourly concentrations of inhalable particles (PM10) in the northern part of the country exceeded 1000, reaching 3000–4000 micrograms per cubic meter in some places, which is significantly higher than established norms. Dust storms were also frequently and intensely observed along the US-Mexico border, with their frequency reaching a maximum since the 1935 Black Blizzard disaster. Specifically, in El Paso, Texas, dusty weather persisted for 50 days a year, double the average, and at its peak on March 18, the average daily PM10 concentration reached 2064, and the hourly concentration reached 8142 micrograms per cubic meter.
Accurately forecasting dust concentrations is a complex task due to the intricate interaction of dust cycles and atmospheric dynamics, as well as the high computational costs required for physical models. Therefore, the WMO emphasizes the importance of forecasts based on machine learning algorithms, which utilize extensive data, including decades of satellite imagery. These algorithms have already significantly helped in mapping and identifying active dust sources, and systems are being developed to predict both local short-term and large-scale long-term dust events.
Furthermore, the WMO previously informed about the onset of the El Niño climate phenomenon in early July 2026, which will lead to an increase in the average global temperature, causing droughts, heatwaves, and floods worldwide. The organization had also previously reported an unprecedented rise in atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations between 2023 and 2024.
