Satellites often observe dust swirling over remote and unpopulated deserts but most of these events go largely unnoticed. Not so with the major dust storm that made international news in September 2015 for enveloping heavily-populated areas in the Middle East and North Africa.

Dust first emerged in Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) satellite imagery in Syria on September 6, 2015. By September 7, a thick plume swept across Syria, the Mafraq region of Jordan, and part of Turkey’s Mediterranean coast. By September 8 (this image), dust had enveloped all of Lebanon, Israel, Jordan, Cyprus, and the Palestinian Territories. By September 9, it had moved southwest and spread over northeastern Egypt and the Gulf of Suez.

The influx of dust triggered a rash of canceled flights, closed ports, and a suspension of daily activities for many people. In several countries, authorities are advising the elderly and young children to stay indoors. The number of people visiting hospitals with respiratory problems has increased significantly, and several deaths have been attributed to the dust, according to media reports.

While satellites observe the dust from above, air quality sensors on the ground are recording remarkable amounts of particulate matter in surface air. In Jerusalem, pollution levels were 173 times higher than average, according to one news report.

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