Different parts of Qatar, including Doha, experienced a hot, windy and dusty Tuesday and similar conditions are expected on Wednesday as well.
The temperature rose to 47C in Al Rayyan and 46C in Doha and other places as people had to cope with a combination of scorching conditions, strong winds and low visibility due to dust.
In particular, those using highways were warned to be extra careful as visibility dropped sharply at a number of places. The Qatar Met department also advised people to avoid exposure to direct sunlight in view of the rising temperature.
In Doha and surrounding areas, too, the strong northwesterly winds caused blowing dust at a number of places.
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Windy and dusty conditions prevailed on Tuesday. PICTURE: Ram Chand
On its part, the weather office issued alerts on its social media channels, advising people to be cautious in the prevailing conditions to ensure their safety. It also re-issued a list, prepared in co-ordination with the Ministry of Public Health, of safety precautions to be followed during dusty conditions.
In its forecast for Wednesday, the Met department said strong winds are once again expected in most areas along with poor visibility. Windy conditions, high seas and poor visibility due to dust are also likely in offshore areas.
The wind (northwesterly) speed will be 18-30 knots inshore, reaching a high of 45 knots at times in some places during the day and decreasing to 15-25 knots by night. Offshore, the wind (northwesterly) speed will range from 20-30 knots, going up to 40 knots in some areas occasionally, while the sea level may rise to 14ft.
The detailed forecast also states that it will be hot during the daytime inshore and dusty conditions will prevail in some areas at times. Visibility, meanwhile, may drop to 2km or less.
It is likely to be dusty in offshore areas as well.
A maximum temperature of 43C is likely in Doha, Mesaieed and Wakrah on Wednesday, followed by 42C in Al Khor. On Tuesday, a maximum of 47C was recorded in Al Rayyan, 46C in Doha (airport area), Qatar University area, Al Khor, Wakrah, Mesaieed and Turayna, and 44C in Sheehaniya, Batna and Karana.
The Met department had said recently that northwesterly windy conditions - locally called ‘AlBawarih’ - were expected to last until this weekend - especially from Tuesday until Thursday.