UAE weather: dust alert in place with temperatures set to drop

The Burj Al Arab on a dusty and hazy day in Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Tuesday will be dusty and windy, with temperatures set to drop, especially over the coast.

The mercury will hit 32°C in Dubai and 35°C in Abu Dhabi during the hottest parts of the day in both emirates.

Forecasters at the National Centre of Meteorology issued a warning about wind speeds, which are expected to reach 40 kilometres per hour, kicking up dust clouds and reducing visibility at times.

The eastern half of the country, including Abu Dhabi city and extending inland to the border with Saudi Arabia, will be affected.

A dust alert is in force until 6pm on Tuesday.

The dust is expected to affect air quality, with some areas, especially near the coast, registering “very unhealthy” levels early on Tuesday, the Environment Agency Abu Dhabi’s air quality index showed.

The winds will also create rough conditions in the Arabian Gulf and Oman Sea.

Wednesday is expected to be another windy and dusty day, with temperatures reaching 34°C in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. It will be hotter in the south, with highs of 42°C.

Thursday will be fair, becoming partly cloudy at times, with light to moderate winds, which will pick up at times, blowing dust. Temperatures will reach 38°C in Dubai and 36°C Abu Dhabi.

It will be hot and mostly sunny on Friday, with highs of 42°C Abu Dhabi and 38°C in Dubai.

Read more: What causes dust and sandstorms in the UAE and are they dangerous?