The National Centre of Meteorology is warning of reduced visibility across the UAE. Karim Sahib / AFP
The National Centre of Meteorology is warning of reduced visibility across the UAE. Karim Sahib / AFP
The National Centre of Meteorology is warning of reduced visibility across the UAE. Karim Sahib / AFP
The National Centre of Meteorology is warning of reduced visibility across the UAE. Karim Sahib / AFP

UAE weather: High winds, dust storms and a 'significant decrease' in temperatures forecast


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Strong winds could sweep across the UAE over the next few days, whipping up dust and sandstorms.

The National Centre of Meteorology on Wednesday said north-westerly winds could reach speeds of 65 kilometres per hour, cutting visibility and churning up the Arabian Gulf.

The change in the weather has started already with the NCM placing a warning for Wednesday, with waves of up to three metres expected in the waters off the UAE.

The unsettled conditions could persist until the weekend and people were warned to also expect a "significant decrease in temperatures".

"It will be dusty and partly cloudy," the NCM said for its Thursday forecast, "with a significant decrease in temperatures."

"The sea will be very rough in the Arabian Gulf and moderate to rough in Oman Sea."

Abu Dhabi Police also urged drivers to be cautious due to low visibility brought on by high winds and dust.

It cautioned motorists not to take videos or use phones while driving.

The warning follows a mini-heatwave that reached a peak last weekend with temperatures hitting more than 40°C.

They have since fallen back by several degrees but the mercury could still reach highs of around 38°C on Wednesday with lows of 17°C.

How dust travels from the Sahara desert to the Alps - in pictures

  • Skiers wearing protective face mask ski as Sahara sand colours the snow and the sky in a yellow cast and creates a special light atmosphere, in the Alpine resort of Anzere, Switzerland. EPA
    Skiers wearing protective face mask ski as Sahara sand colours the snow and the sky in a yellow cast and creates a special light atmosphere, in the Alpine resort of Anzere, Switzerland. EPA
  • Snowkiters sliding on snow covered with sand at Col du Lautaret mountain pass in Serre Chevalier, a major ski resort in Southeastern France. Reuters
    Snowkiters sliding on snow covered with sand at Col du Lautaret mountain pass in Serre Chevalier, a major ski resort in Southeastern France. Reuters
  • Bavaria, Garmisch-Partenkirchen: The sky above the mountains in the Wetterstein range is clouded by the Sahara sand in the air. Getty Images
    Bavaria, Garmisch-Partenkirchen: The sky above the mountains in the Wetterstein range is clouded by the Sahara sand in the air. Getty Images
  • Ski slopes are covered with Sahara sand in the tiny Andorra principality in the Pyrenees mountains. Reuters
    Ski slopes are covered with Sahara sand in the tiny Andorra principality in the Pyrenees mountains. Reuters
  • Skiers wearing protective face masks sit on a chairlift as Sahara sand colours the snow and the sky in a yellow cast and creates a special light atmosphere, in the Alpine resort of Anzere, Switzerland. EPA
    Skiers wearing protective face masks sit on a chairlift as Sahara sand colours the snow and the sky in a yellow cast and creates a special light atmosphere, in the Alpine resort of Anzere, Switzerland. EPA
  • Sahara dust makes the sky misty as skiers rest on the terrace of a restaurant beside a piste at the Corviglia ski area in the Alpine resort of St. Moritz, Switzerland. Reuters
    Sahara dust makes the sky misty as skiers rest on the terrace of a restaurant beside a piste at the Corviglia ski area in the Alpine resort of St. Moritz, Switzerland. Reuters
  • Tourists ride an ATV along the sand dunes at just before sunset in Erg Chebbi desert near the small Moroccan village of Merzouga in the Sahara Desert. Reuters
    Tourists ride an ATV along the sand dunes at just before sunset in Erg Chebbi desert near the small Moroccan village of Merzouga in the Sahara Desert. Reuters
  • Dr Diana Francis said snow melt can be expected to occur more frequently under global warming.
    Dr Diana Francis said snow melt can be expected to occur more frequently under global warming.
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Company Profile

Company name: Yeepeey

Started: Soft launch in November, 2020

Founders: Sagar Chandiramani, Jatin Sharma and Monish Chandiramani

Based: Dubai

Industry: E-grocery

Initial investment: $150,000

Future plan: Raise $1.5m and enter Saudi Arabia next year

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The biog

Name: Abeer Al Shahi

Emirate: Sharjah – Khor Fakkan

Education: Master’s degree in special education, preparing for a PhD in philosophy.

Favourite activities: Bungee jumping

Favourite quote: “My people and I will not settle for anything less than first place” – Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid.

Cry Macho

Director: Clint Eastwood

Stars: Clint Eastwood, Dwight Yoakam

Rating:**

Secret Nation: The Hidden Armenians of Turkey
Avedis Hadjian, (IB Tauris)
 

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Living in...

This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.

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In numbers: China in Dubai

The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000

Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000

Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000

Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000

Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent

Updated: March 16, 2022, 5:56 PM