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China, US Border Regions Hit by Record Dust Storms in 2025
10 Jul
Summary
- China experienced its worst dust storm in a decade in April 2025.
- El Paso, Texas, saw 50 dust-weather days in 2025, a historic high.
- Drought and land degradation worsen natural dust storm events.
In 2025, severe sand and dust storms afflicted multiple regions, with China and the U.S.-Mexico border experiencing record-breaking events. Mongolia's dust plumes triggered China's most intense dust storm in a decade in April 2025, impacting duration and geographical reach.
Along the U.S.-Mexico border, El Paso, Texas, registered 50 dust-weather days, more than double its average and the highest since the 1930s. While the Bodélé Depression in Chad remains a global dust hotspot, the WMO report indicates that factors like drought and environmental degradation are intensifying these natural phenomena.
Globally, about 2 billion tons of dust rise into the atmosphere each year, originating from vast deserts. Although average dust levels remained stable, severe regional storms underscored the escalating risks affecting over 150 countries worldwide.
