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The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has warned that sand and dust storms continued to pose a growing global threat in 2025, with China and the US-Mexico border experiencing record-breaking events that disrupted transport, damaged the environment and endangered public health.
In its 2026 Airborne Dust Bulletin released on Friday, the UN weather agency said global average dust surface concentrations remained largely unchanged from 2024, although several regions witnessed unusually severe dust activity.
According to the report on Friday, North Africa and the Middle East were among the hardest-hit regions, while China recorded its worst sand and dust storm in a decade after powerful dust clouds swept from Mongolia in April.
The WMO said inhalable particle (PM10) concentrations in northern China exceeded 1,000 micrograms per cubic metre, with some locations recording between 3,000 and 4,000 micrograms—far above World Health Organization air quality guidelines.
Along the US-Mexico border, particularly in El Paso, Texas, dust storm activity reached levels not seen since the 1930s Dust Bowl era. El Paso recorded 50 dust weather days in 2025, more than twice its annual average.
On March 18, continuous dust storm conditions lasted for more than six hours, with average PM10 concentrations reaching 2,064 micrograms per cubic metre and hourly levels peaking at a record 8,142 micrograms. The storms forced the temporary closure of schools, highways and airports, led to the cancellation of public events and contributed to multiple fatal road accidents.
WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo said sand and dust storms remain a major transboundary hazard affecting more than 150 countries worldwide.
"Sand and dust storms affect air quality and human health. They reduce agricultural productivity, disrupt transport and aviation, strain water and energy systems, and damage ecosystems. No country is immune to their impacts," she said.
Saulo stressed that stronger international cooperation is essential because dust storms and droughts cross national borders, calling for enhanced data sharing, scientific collaboration and improved early warning systems.
The report estimates that about two billion tonnes of dust enter the atmosphere every year, travelling hundreds or even thousands of kilometres across continents and oceans. Major dust sources remain concentrated in the Sahara Desert, the Gobi Desert and the Arabian Desert.
While many dust storms occur naturally, the WMO said poor land and water management, prolonged drought and environmental degradation are increasingly contributing to their frequency and intensity.
The bulletin also highlighted advances in dust monitoring, noting that Artificial Intelligence and satellite technology could significantly improve forecasting and early warning systems. However, it said further research is needed to fully harness these technologies due to the complexity of atmospheric processes involved in dust transport.
The WMO said its Sand and Dust Storm Warning Advisory and Assessment System continues to strengthen regional forecasting capacity and international collaboration, but urged countries to intensify efforts to better protect lives, livelihoods and ecosystems ahead of the International Day of Combating Sand and Dust Storms on July 12.