Sunday, February 15, was a horrible day in the Greek capital Athens due to the high concentration of Sahara Dust that had turned the air into a suffocating mixture of dust particles and pollutants, the sky into hazy dome, the atmosphere into a huge yellow-grey cloud and heavily limited visibility.
Αφρικανική σκόνη καλύπτει την Αττική pic.twitter.com/8dXZfhBKHN
— nikos christofakis (@ChristofakisN) February 15, 2026
I personally felt this was one of the worse days with Sahara Dust as we frequently experience in the last couple of years. On days with very high concentration of dust particles I am annoyed to have to spend my time in an eerie yellow atmosphere and I think I’m psychologically chocking. I can’t help but I et claustrophobic …
❗ Μια σχεδόν απόκοσμη εικόνα έχει δημιουργήσει το εξαιρετικά έντονο επεισόδιο μεταφοράς αφρικανικής σκόνης στην Αττική.
🟠 Οι εικόνες από τον Λυκαβηττό δείχνουν ένα πυκνό, κιτρινωπό πέπλο να έχει καλύψει την ατμόσφαιρα και να έχει περιορίσει σημαντικά την ορατότητα στον… pic.twitter.com/1YICqSYI1f
— iefimerida (@iefimerida) February 15, 2026
With or without mask it was difficult to breathe I heard by several mostly elderly people, with some of them to also reporting that at some point they even felt kind of dizzy.
Δείτε πως είναι σήμερα η Αττική με την Αφρικανική σκόνη pic.twitter.com/h6TDYv3pYu
— Ο Κλιματιστής (@klimatistis) February 15, 2026
❗«Εξαφανίστηκε» στη σκόνη η Ακρόπολη – Νέες εικόνες από την «αφρικανική σκόνη» που πνίγει την Αττική
🎥 Orange Press Agency#ingr #news #σκονη #Αθηνα pic.twitter.com/1Oo31W7v5b
— in.gr/news (@in_gr) February 15, 2026
It was only after 5:30 in the afternoon when the heavy dust clouds started to move, allow some sunshine come through and visible spots of blue sky.
According to the National Observatory of Athens, high concentrations of dust from the Sahara were recorded in a great part of Greece on Sunday, and wind in the east and south of the country exceeded 100 km/h (62 miles/hour).
According to the Observatory’s air-quality station, at Rethymno in NW Crete particular matter PM10 concentrations exceeded 460 μg/m3 at 13:30. (WHO recommends that the 24-hour average should not exceed 45 micrograms per cubic meter.)
On Crete, the wind and dust led to cancellations of flights and of the Kastrino Carnival Heraklion. Regional police warned drivers, especially on the North Axial Road of Crete (VOAK), to drive carefully because of uprooted trees, torn branches, and other fallen objects on the roads. In addition, schools of all ages to high school will be shut down on Monday, while an updated statement would be issued on Monday afternoon.
Flights at the International Airport of Heraklion ‘Nikos Kazantzakis’ were delayed. One flight was cancelled and another forced to land at Chania instead.
