Dust and sand storms have been sweeping the UAE in recent weeks, providing a challenge for weather and environment agencies that are working to forecast and prepare for their effects.
On Thursday, the National Centre of Meteorology issued a fresh alert that winds reaching 45kph were blowing dust and sand, reducing visibility.
Similar notifications have been issued by the UAE's weather watchdog over the past month. These followed a huge sandstorm that swept across Saudi Arabia and northern Iraq.
These seasonal, yet increasingly erratic, events are a cause for concern not just in terms of what they mean for safety but also for air quality and health. Dust particles, for example, can affect vulnerable groups such as young children and those suffering from respiratory illnesses such as asthma.
Anatomy of a storm
Dust storms are generally caused by a shift in weather systems as part of the transition from spring to summer. The Environment Agency Abu Dhabi is working to understand the development of these storms, from their origins and trajectory to the effect they have on health.
“There’s a fundamental difference between sand storms and dust storms,” Ruqaya Mohamed, the agency's section head for air quality, told The National. “Sand particles are heavier – they don’t stay in the air for long. But dust is finer and can linger in the atmosphere for days, travelling hundreds of kilometres.”
Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
The distinction is important. Sand storms tend to be localised, triggered by strong winds in open desert areas. But dust storms can become cross-border events, carrying harmful fine particles into cities where millions live.
According to Dr Ahmed Habiba from the National Centre of Meteorology, the UAE faces two kinds of storm. “Local storms happen with sudden, strong winds – we can forecast these three or four days in advance,” he said. “Then there are the larger events that come from outside the UAE, especially from Iraq and Saudi Arabia. These are associated with the north-westerly, shamal winds.”
The storm that hit Abu Dhabi in late April, which came from Iraq's Tigris-Euphrates basin, was one of the shamal storms Dr Habib is referring to.
“These storms need constant observation, hour by hour,” he said. “Their impact depends on the storm’s depth, density and path – sometimes they shift towards central Arabia, other times directly to us. But once we track the pattern, we can usually give a clear forecast up to 48 hours before impact.”
Health impact
While the meteorology centre handles storm forecasting, the environment agency zeroes in on what those storms leave behind – and how they affect human health.
Using a network of air quality monitoring stations, the Environment Agency Abu Dhabi continuously measures pollutants such as particulate matter, ozone, nitrogen dioxide and sulphur dioxide. This real-time data is made public through an air quality index portal, which uses a traffic light system to help residents gauge whether it is safe to jog, send children outdoors or open windows.
“Children are especially vulnerable,” Ms Mohamed said. “Their lungs are still developing. During high pollution events, they’re considered a sensitive group, just like the elderly or people with asthma.”
Construction sites add another layer of risk. “Major infrastructure projects kick up a lot of dust,” she said. “This anthropogenic dust – man-made and local – combines with storm-carried particles, amplifying the impact.”
Growing problem
With climate change disrupting weather patterns, dust storms are becoming more frequent, less predictable, and sometimes more intense. “We’ve started to see some of these storms earlier than usual,” Ms Mohamed said. “It’s something we’re monitoring closely.”
To stay ahead, the environment agency launched a forecasting system last year that can model dust-related pollution up to 72 hours ahead. It allows the agency to anticipate pollution events and adjust its internal air quality management strategies accordingly.
“We’re collecting massive amounts of data – minute-by-minute, 24/7,” Ms Mohamed said. “AI could help us detect anomalies, identify patterns and even generate tailored reports. We’re just beginning to scratch the surface.”
In the near future, the agency is working to integrate satellite data – in collaboration with the UAE space agency – to expand coverage across the region.
However, despite these advances, public education remains central and Ms Mohamed is clear that more needs to be done. “We want a population that’s literate when it comes to air quality,” she said. One example of this is the agency’s sustainable schools initiative, where pupils are taught about pollution and visit air-monitoring stations to decode the science themselves.
As Dr Habib observed, storms will continue to come from near or far. “But the key is constant observation and regular updates,” he said. “It’s not just about predicting if it will happen – it’s about knowing how deeply we’ll be affected.”
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
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2009 Berlin
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Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
