Dust from West Africa over the Atlantic Ocean
Dust hovered over the Atlantic Ocean in early January 2013, continuing an intermittent pattern of dust-storm activity in the region. A veil of dust stretched from the coast of Mauritania westward to Cape Verde.
Sand seas cover most of Mauritania and parts of Western Sahara. Some of the dust might have arisen in Mauritania, but also may have traveled from farther inland, such as Mali. Dust-choked winds are recurring natural hazards in both countries.
Saharan Air Layer (Credit: METEOSAT-9/CIMSS) 
A veil of dust stretched from the coast of Mauritania westward to Cape Verde captured by MODIS/Aqua satellite on January 7, 2013 (NASA image courtesy LANCE MODIS Rapid Response. Caption by Michon Scott)
Sources: CIMSS, LANCE/MODIS, EO
Featured image: Dust over West Africa on January 7, 2013 (LANCE MODIS Rapid Response)
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