Heat on the rise as winds subside

ABU DHABI // Forecasters expect strong winds and heavy dust storms to subside in the next few days as the weather returns to normal.

Strong winds from Saudi Arabia have been blowing dust and sand across the Emirates.

"There is low pressure coming from the east and high pressure from the west, caused by a strong northern wind in the north of the Gulf area," said a spokesman for the National Centre of Meteorology and Seismology in Abu Dhabi.

"On Thursday it came from Iraq and yesterday from Saudi, which brought dust and sand."

Temperatures also dropped by 6°C across the UAE because of the blustery winds. The maximum temperature yesterday was 40°C inland in the north.

"Temperatures will start to increase again on Sunday by about 2°C to 3°C because the wind will start to change," said the spokesman, adding conditions would return to normal as the winds faded over the next few days.

"The wind will decrease [today] and even more on Sunday. There will still be some dust today, although less than yesterday, but hopefully the weather will clear up next week."

The spokesman urged drivers to be cautious and, with reports of waves almost three metres high, he warned fishermen against sailing.