UAE weather: Temperatures hit 50.5°C in Al Ain today
It was recorded at 2.30pm local time in Sweihan, Al Ain.
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Khaleej Times
a day ago
- Khaleej Times
UAE weather tomorrow: Temperatures to increase; Dubai to see high of 44°C
Temperatures are likely to increase in the UAE on Sunday, July 13, according to the forecast by the met department. The National Centre of Meteorology (NCM) said that there will be fair to partly cloudy skies with clouds appearing eastward. Conditions are likely to get humid by night and Monday morning over some coastal areas. There will be light to moderate southeasterly to northeasterly winds, with a speed of 10kmph and 20kmph, reaching 30kmph. The sea conditons will be slight in the Arabian Gulf and in the Oman Sea. It will be mostly sunny across the country with temperatures in Abu Dhabi likely to see a high of 42°C and a low of 31°C. Dubai will witness a high of 44°C with a low of 33°C, while neighbouring Sharjah will also see an identical 44°C and a low of 33°C.
The National
a day ago
- The National
'Quietly devastating': How rising temperatures are testing our limits
Yellow and amber health alerts have been issued across parts of the UK this weekend as the country, like many parts of Europe, experiences an extreme heatwave. The warnings are in place until July 14 and weather forecasters at the UK's Met Office have warned that the heatwave is more widespread than in previous summers. On Saturday, 'temperatures are likely to locally approach 30°C over Northern Ireland and 31°C or even 32°C over parts of Scotland, away from eastern coasts', said chief meteorologist Steve Willington. June this year was the hottest on record for England, and July is on track to follow suit. Heatwave deaths triple in Europe Climate change tripled the number of heat-related deaths across European cities, according to a study from the World Weather Attribution group of researchers. The researchers said heatwaves, which were up to 4°C hotter across cities compared to a world without climate change, were 'quietly devastating'. The study, led by scientists at Imperial College London and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, focused on 10 days of heat from June 23 to July 2. It calculated that 1,500 of the 2,300 estimated heat deaths were the result of climate change – equating to a tripling of the number of deaths in the heatwave due to global warming. How much heat can your body endure? 2024 was officially the hottest year on record, following what United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres called a decade of deadly heat. In cities such as Dubai and Abu Dhabi, where summer highs routinely exceed 45°C, the body's natural defences are pushed to the brink. 'Humans are most comfortable and expend the least energy at temperatures between 18°C and 24°C,' said Dr Aseel Takshe, acting dean at the Canadian University Dubai's School of Health Sciences and Psychology. 'The body's ability to cool itself becomes compromised at high temperatures, particularly above 40°C. 'The critical survival limit is a 'wet-bulb' temperature of 35°C at 100 per cent humidity, where sweat no longer evaporates and core temperature rises dangerously. Even healthy adults cannot survive more than a few hours at this threshold.' Dust storms add to danger Data released on Saturday by Europe's weather watchdog, Copernicus, showed repeated long-range episodes of Saharan dust crossing into Europe and the Caribbean, significantly degrading air quality. 'So far in 2025, we have monitored repeated long-range transport of Saharan dust and high PM10 concentrations reaching Europe and the Caribbean,' said Mark Parrington, senior scientist at the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service. PM10 refers to particulate matter with a diameter of 10 micrometres or less. 'These episodes can have a negative impact on air quality on both sides of the Atlantic, and subsequently represent potential risks to human health,' Mr Parrington added. Lessons from the UAE: Planning for heat In built-up environments, the situation is compounded by the urban heat island effect. 'This effect is intensified by the scarcity of green spaces and the prevalence of heat-absorbing materials like concrete and asphalt,' Dr Takshe told The National. Studies in the UAE show that urban areas can be 1.3°C to 4.5°C warmer than surrounding rural areas. Dust storms coupled with urban heat build-up can be serious health risk, warned Dr Takshe. 'Dust and pollution can trap heat and further worsen respiratory health, especially among vulnerable groups. The need for air conditioning and cooling increases sharply during heatwaves, leading to high energy consumption and potential stress on power infrastructure.' Tips to stay safe during hot weather Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration. Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control. Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat. Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss. Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions. Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours. Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur. Children, the elderly, and outdoor workers are particularly vulnerable. 'Urban environments can exacerbate exposure for these groups, especially if access to cooling, health care, or shaded areas is limited,' added Dr Takshe. The UAE implements a midday break for outdoor workers during the summer months, from June 15 to September 15. The break, introduced in 2004, prohibits work under direct sunlight and in open-air spaces between 12.30pm and 3pm. The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) Frontiers 2025 Report, published on Thursday, highlights that people aged 65 and above form an increasingly dominant part of the world population, particularly in urban areas of low- and middle-income countries. The report states that annual levels of heat-related deaths among older people have risen by an estimated 85 per cent since the 1990s. Additional risks arise from deteriorating air quality and floods in low-lying coastal cities. 'Heatwaves are among the most frequent and deadly impacts of climate change, along with floods and shrinking ice cover,' said Inger Andersen, executive director of UNEP. 'We must be prepared for the risks these impacts pose, especially for society's most vulnerable, including older persons.' How to stay safe during extreme heat Staying safe in such environments requires personal and systemic action. At the individual level, hydration, staying indoors during peak heat and recognising signs of heat illness – such as dizziness, confusion, and rapid pulse – are essential. Lightweight, loose-fitting clothing and access to shaded or air-conditioned spaces can make a life-saving difference. But cooling a city is not a task individuals can bear alone. Urban designs, infrastructure and public policy must align to address extreme heat. That means planting more trees, redesigning streets to allow natural air flow, and expanding green spaces that naturally lower surface temperatures. Some of Dubai's urban canyons – tall buildings that cast long shadows- reduce daytime heat exposure in parts of the city. But this is often offset by residual night-time heat. 'Adapting urban design – such as increasing vegetation, implementing cool roofs, and improving airflow – can help mitigate these effects but requires co-ordinated planning and investment,' Dr Takshe told The National. 'Public awareness campaigns, establishment of community cooling centres and education on heat risks are essential for immediate relief and long-term resilience.' According to the World Health Organisation, the recommended ambient temperature indoors is about 18°C. Dr Takshe adds that humans are most comfortable and expend the least energy at between 18°C and 24°C. But for millions living in climate-vulnerable regions, maintaining such conditions without cooling infrastructure can be a challenge.
Arabian Business
a day ago
- Arabian Business
Sand and dust storms impact 330million worldwide, fuelling health and economic crises: WMO
The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) has reported that sand and dust storms affect 330 million people in more than 150 countries worldwide, causing growing harm to both public health and the global economy. In the annual WMO Airborne Dust Bulletin, the organisation stressed the need to continue enhancing monitoring, forecasting and early warning systems. The Bulletin highlighted that although the global average of annual mean dust surface concentrations in 2024 was slightly lower than in 2023, there were big regional variations. Dust and sand storms In the most affected areas, the surface dust concentration in 2024 was higher than the long-term 1981-2010 average. Every year, around two billion million tonnes of sand and dust enter the atmosphere. More than 80 percent of the global dust budget originates from the North African and Middle Eastern deserts and can be transported for hundreds and even thousands of kilometres across continents and oceans. Much of this is a natural process, but poor water and land management, drought and environmental degradation are increasingly to blame. The report, issued to mark the International Day of Combating Sand and Dust Storms on Saturday, July 12, noted that while a significant part of the phenomenon is natural, poor water and land management, drought and environmental degradation are increasingly contributing factors. It added that, in 2024, sand and dust concentrations were lower than the long-term average in many of the main source areas, and higher than average in many areas to where the dust is blown. The regions that are most vulnerable to long-range transport of dust are: The northern tropical Atlantic Ocean between West Africa and the Caribbean South America The Mediterranean Sea The Arabian Sea The Bay of Bengal Central-eastern China In 2024, the transatlantic transport of African dust invaded parts of the Caribbean Sea region. WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo said: 'Sand and dust storms do not just mean dirty windows and hazy skies. They harm the health and quality of life of millions of people and cost many millions of dollars through disruption to air and ground transport, on agriculture and on solar energy production. 'This Bulletin shows how health risks and economic costs are rising – and how investments in dust early warnings and mitigation and control would reap large returns. 'This is why sand and dust storms are one of the priorities of the Early Warnings for All initiative.' A new sand and dust storm indicator developed by WMO and the World Health Organisation showed that 3.8bn people (nearly half the world's population) were exposed to dust levels exceeding WHO's safety threshold between 2018–2022. This represents a 31 percent increase from 2.9bn people (44.5 percent) during 2003-2007. Exposure varied widely, from only a few days in relatively unaffected areas to more than 87 per cent of days, equivalent to over 1,600 days in five years, in the most dust-prone regions. This indicator and the associated findings were published in the Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change: 2024 Global Report. The economic impact is often underestimated, according to a case study from the United States of America. In the USA alone, dust and wind erosion cost an estimated $154bn in 2017- more than a fourfold increase over the 1995 calculation. The estimate included costs to households, crops, wind and solar energy, mortality from fine dust exposure, health costs due to Valley fever, and transport. The true cost of dust was certainly much higher, since reliable national-scale evaluations of many of dust's other economic impacts (for example, on human morbidity, the hydrological cycle, aviation and rangeland agriculture) were not available, according to the study, which was published in Nature.
