UAE | Weather
Sandstorm forces UAE residents to stay indoors
Hazy weather to continue while health expert warns it could affect asthmatic children
- By Mahmood Saberi, Senior Reporter
- Published: 11:51 February 17, 2012
- Image Credit: Virendra Saklani/Gulf News
- Motorists brave the sandstorm in Dubai on Friday afternoon. Blowing sand reduced visibility to 500 metres.
Dubai: UAE residents were forced to stay indoors on Friday as strong winds kicked up sandstorms, reduced visibility and made the sea rough.
The weather will continue to be overcast on Saturday and is expected to change only by Monday when it will be partly cloudy and cooler, according to the weather bureau.
“The weather is changing,” said a forecaster as the temperature starts to climb, slowly leading up to summer. The maximum will hover around 34 degree Celsius and night time temperature around 22 degree Celsius.
The sandstorm obliterated many of Dubai’s landmarks and pedestrians had to cover their face and mouth as the near gale-force winds whipped by dust. Motorists switched on their headlights at noon on Friday as visibility dropped to less than 500 metres at areas in the open.
A doctor has advised that asthmatic children should be kept indoors as the dust could trigger wheezing.
About 25 per cent of children across the UAE suffer from this ailment. He said even children free of asthma should not be outside as the dust could trigger allergies.
Global Village shut
The sandstorm forced stalls at the Global Village to shut down on Friday. Many shopkeepers had earlier shut down their stalls due to the whipping winds blowing at around 35 knots or over 61 km/h.
The Abu Dhabi National Centre of Meteorology and Seismology said there is a chance of rain in the northern and eastern areas.
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