The UAE weather bureau issued a red alert, warning residents as very dusty weather and strong winds engulfed the country on Tuesday.
The National Center of Meteorology (NCM) issued warnings in Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, parts of Dubai and Sharjah because of strong winds blowing dust into the air.
Abu Dhabi Police warned drivers to be careful on the roads as dusty conditions hindered visibility. In a social media post, they warned residents to not be distracted by their phones and avoid taking videos of the weather.
Visibility reduced to 2,000 metres due to the dust and in some areas it has even dropped to 100 metres, according to an official from the NCM. Strong winds are expected to repeatedly blow, at a speed of 15 –25 km/h, reaching up to 40 km/h at times
“Currently, parts of Iraq, north of Saudi Arabia and Kuwait are facing sandstorms, due to which, there is dust suspension in the UAE,” the representative told Gulf News.
“The dust storm is moving towards the south, so it is now affecting Qatar, Bahrain, and the west of UAE,” he added.
Such conditions are expected to last till 9:30pm on Tuesday. According to the NCM, on Wednesday dusty and hazy skies are expected with a gradual decrease in the dust.
The maximum humidity is expected to reach 85 per cent. It is going to be humid by night and Wednesday morning over some coastal and internal areas with a probability of fog formation. Foggy conditions are expected in Dubai, Sharjah and Ajman.
As for the temperatures, the NCM reported that temperatures are expected to remain warm. “The dust suspension has no major effect on the temperatures. This week we can expect Abu Dhabi to be at around 35°C to 36°C.”
Additionally, you might want to rethink your plans if you were planning to go to the beach this week as the sea is expected to be “rough” due to the wind, according to a statement by the NCM. Such conditions are expected till Friday.
