1. Dust forecasts for health, air quality and aviation
Abdoulaye Harou
Chief Data Processing and Forecasting Systems
Weather and Disaster Risk Reduction Services Dept
World Meteorological Organization
WMO; Name of Department (WDS)

2. Overview Why is it important to forecast Sand and Dust Storms?
Dust impacts on Health
Dust impacts on Air Quality
Dust impacts on Aviation
WMO

3. Sand and Dust Storms have Impacts on…
Human Health (asthma, infections, meningitis in Africa, valley fever in the America’s)
Aviation
Agriculture (negative & positive impacts)
Marine productivity
Industry (Ground Transportation, Tourism, etc)
Military operations (air & ground)
WMO

4. Dust impact on health
Dust contains minerals (SiO2, Al2O3, FeO, CaO, CaCO3, MgCO3) at times mixed with aerosols from petrochemical activities;
Respiratory diseases;
Cardio-vascular Problems
Can carry Bacteria, Spores, Viruses and Persitent Organic Pollutants (PCBs, DDT, dioxins etc)
Eye infections
Meningetis in Africa
Valley Fever in the America’s
It was shown in various studies that hospital admissions for cadio-vascular and respiratory causes increase following dust storms
WMO

5. Dust impacts on Aviation
Poor visibility ---rerouting
Airport operations- Cancellation of flights
False flight speed reading—clogged pitot-static tubes (very hazardous in low level flight ie T/O & landing)
Damage to engine parts and aircraft body
Engine flame out
WMO

6. Dust impact on Air Quality
Dust PM 2.5 predicted at Univ. Arizona and student absentees, Lubbock, Texas; Yin et al, 2005
Increase PM2.5 and PM10
Increase risk of hospitlaization on or a few days after dust storms admissions daily
Health warnings directed to vulnerable people
WMO
Valley Fever spores transported by SDS storms
(Nicausia Cyprus hosipitalization doubled in 10 years period -3 folds increase in admission related to cardio-vascular and respiratory cause average of 4

7. Dust impacts on Marine Productivity
WMO
Saharan dust, rich in nitrogen, iron and phosphorus, helps to fertilize the huge plankton blooms that occur in the tropical eastern Atlantic. .
MODIS satellite true colour image of dust storm over tropical North Atlantic Ocean, March 2004.

8. Other impacts
Agriculture…nutriment deposit ie fertilization but also preventing photosynthesis, affecting water quality,
Military operations…electro-optics weapons, rotary and fixed wings operations, visibility; special forces ops
WMO

9. Thank you for your attention