Dubai skyline disappears in dust storm

Reduced visibility and poor air quality as dusty conditions blanket the country

A view of Dubai taken from the Pearl Jumeirah before and during a dust storm. Pawan Singh / The National

A dust storm eclipsed Dubai's famous skyline in recent days, with poor conditions forecast to continue.

The National Centre of Meteorology said dust will linger in the air until Sunday.

Dust storms have affected the UAE and much of the Gulf over the past couple of weeks, causing reduced visibility and poor air quality.

The National photographers captured what conditions were like before and after the dust storm. Above, on Tuesday, Dubai's skyline disappears from view from about two kilometres away with a view from Pearl Jumeirah. Below, thick dust blanketed Abu Dhabi's Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque pictured from Wahat Al Karamah.

A map released by the bureau on Wednesday morning showed there would be more hazardous weather conditions because of dust, which is expected to be severe in some areas. The alert is in force until 2pm.

Abu Dhabi Police issued regular alerts on social media this month, calling for motorists to exercise caution on the roads. The force reminded drivers not to take photographs of the hazy weather while behind the wheel.

Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Iran have also been affected by dusty weather. The skies in Kuwait turned orange as a severe sandstorm blanketed the country, forcing airport authorities to suspend all flights on Monday until it cleared.

In Iran, schools and offices closed on Wednesday after another sandstorm blanketed parts of the Iranian capital and other cities, Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency reported.

Iraq is the country worst hit by dust and sandstorms. One person died and thousands were admitted to hospital with breathing difficulties earlier this month.

Worsening weather conditions are expected in the coming days.