Sandstorms hit China, US hard in 2025, UN weather agency reports

China and the southern United States endured some of the most severe sand and dust storms in decades last year, according to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). These events, which affected public health, the environment, and disrupted transportation and economic activities, were detailed in the WMO's 10th annual Airborne Dust Bulletin.

Globally, average dust concentrations remained similar to the previous year, but with notable regional differences. The Bodele Depression in Chad recorded the highest annual mean dust concentrations worldwide. The WMO noted that while dust storms are a natural process, environmental degradation, drought, and poor land and water management are increasingly contributing to their severity.

"Sand and dust storms affect air quality and human health," stated WMO chief Celeste Saulo. "They reduce agricultural productivity, disrupt transport and aviation, strain water and energy systems, and damage ecosystems. No country is immune to their impacts." The United States and Mexico experienced exceptionally frequent, intense, and prolonged dust storms in 2025. El Paso, Texas, recorded 50 days with dust weather, more than double its annual average, and the highest number of dust storms since 1935. On March 18, inhalable particle (PM10) concentrations reached 2,064 micrograms per cubic meter, with an hourly peak of 8,142 micrograms – the highest recorded in Texas in approximately 27 years. This far exceeds the World Health Organization's guideline of 15 micrograms per cubic meter annually or 45 in a 24-hour period.

China also faced its worst dust and sand storm in a decade in April 2025. As dust swept in from Mongolia, hourly PM10 concentrations in northern China surpassed 1,000 micrograms per cubic meter, reaching as high as 3,000 to 4,000 micrograms in some areas. Saulo stressed the importance of international cooperation, stating that because sand and dust storms cross borders, countries must share early warning data. The WMO also noted the potential of artificial intelligence to improve forecasts, though further research is required.

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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.