World Meteorological Organization

Author: World Meteorological Organization (WMO)

Sand- and Dust Storms (SDS) are a major problem in West Asia, where their main characteristics – intensity, extent and frequency – are either not well known or have not yet been scientifically addressed. The growing concern of countries in the region about these phenomena has led to a number of high-level international meetings in recent years at which the creation of a system for SDS monitoring and forecasting has repeatedly been raised.