Satellite Images Capture Dust Storm Sweeping Over West Africa

A dust storm has swept over Mali, blanketing parts of the West African nation and nearby countries. The image shows dust obscuring the ground in the final days of summer. NASA says the MODIS instrument on Terra captured the scene on September 5, 2026. According to Tianle Yuan, these storms are often tied to haboobs driven by strong convective winds. Yuan said the developing El Niño could reshape dust patterns over the Sahel and Mali. He added, "The connection can be real," but hard to pin down for individual events.