Dust in the Canary Islands
Island-by-island tracking of Saharan dust using CAMS mineral dust aerosol optical depth (AOD 550).
Dust outbreaks often raise PM10, reduce visibility and worsen respiratory symptoms. Here we expose that signal directly so it can add context to the map and station pages.
Current signal
No active dust
Current status on Lanzarote
No dust
- LanzaroteDust AOD 550 nm 0.09Up 0.08 vs 24 h earlier
Updated: Aug 23, 2026, 1:00 PM
Last 7 days
PM10 and AOD on Lanzarote
Hourly average of measured PM10 from stations on Lanzarote and island-level AOD over the last 7 days.
What this signal means
AOD measures how much radiation aerosols attenuate across the atmospheric column. It does not replace PM10 concentrations, but it helps tell when a particle spike is consistent with a large-scale Saharan dust intrusion.
As a reference: we consider dust light from an AOD of 0.18, moderate from 0.35 and intense above 0.55.
How to use it
Use it together with the AQI and measured pollutants. If dust is moderate or intense, consider reducing prolonged intense outdoor exercise if you feel discomfort, protecting eyes and airways, and keeping a closer eye on children, older adults and people with asthma or COPD.