Image of the week: Dust cloud moves over the Atlantic Ocean

Image of the week: Dust cloud moves over the Atlantic Ocean Craig MacDonald Tue, 15/09/2026 - 09:46 Image of the week: Dust cloud moves over the Atlantic Ocean Watching our Earth from space This week’s image is of Saharan dust moving west across the Atlantic Ocean, as seen from the Meteosat-12 geostationary weather satellite 36,000km above the Earth. Last Updated Published on Saharan dust particles are lifted into the atmosphere by gusts of surface wind and can be transported and deposited thousands of kilometres away. When dust travels over populated areas, it can reduce air quality and impact health by causing respiratory problems and cause flight delays. Over the oceans, dust can act as a fertiliser, stimulating blooms of tiny marine plants (phytoplankton) that are the basis for the marine food chain. The latest imagery from Meteosat-12 can be accessed on EUMETView . Dust image This image was captured by the FCI instrument onboard Meteosat-12 on 14 September 2026. The Meteosat weather satellites provide imagery for the early detection of fast-developing severe weather, weather forecasting and climate monitoring. More info Access Meteosat-12 imagery Learn more about Meteosat Thir