A plume of African desert dust has already blanketed Central Europe and is moving east. Skies will turn hazy, cars will be coated in a reddish film — and people with respiratory conditions face the greatest risk
- Peak dust concentration – 2,000 µg/m³ above Africa;
- Danger threshold >100 µg/m³ — harmful to health
- Altitude reached – up to 5 km
- can stay airborne for days
Atmospheric monitoring service Ventusky is tracking a large-scale transport of Saharan dust northward across the Mediterranean. The plume has already covered Italy, the Balkans, and Central Europe — and could reach Ukraine within the coming days, according to the forecast maps.
The phenomenon is not unusual: Saharan dust reaches Europe 5 to 15 times a year, travelling thousands of kilometres on high-altitude winds. But the current event appears particularly intense — Ventusky’s concentration maps show readings near 2,000 µg/m³ above North Africa and the central Mediterranean.
Who is most at risk
People with asthma or other respiratory conditions, the elderly, and young children. At concentrations above 100 µg/m³, PM10 dust particles can enter the lungs and irritate the airways. Residents are advised to keep windows closed and limit time outdoors.
Kyiv residents will recognise the effects from previous episodes. In spring 2024, the city’s sky turned a distinctive hazy brown and cars were left coated in fine reddish dust. That event arrived alongside a warm African air mass that pushed temperatures 5–12°C above seasonal norms.
Desert dust is lofted into the upper atmosphere by strong winds and can remain suspended for days or even weeks, drifting thousands of kilometres from its source. The particles — mineral fragments measuring 1–10 micrometres — consist mainly of aluminosilicates, iron oxides, and quartz. Despite the alarming appearance, scientists emphasise that the phenomenon is entirely natural: it carries no radiation risk and does not constitute a true sandstorm on Ukrainian territory.
The exact timing and intensity of the dust’s arrival in Ukraine will depend on the movement of atmospheric fronts. Follow updates from Ventusky and the Ukrainian Hydrometeorological Centre.