Dubai - Arab Today
The temperature shot up to beyond 50 degrees Celsius on Tuesday in some parts of the country, forcing people to take refuge in air-conditioned environments after midday. The sizzling temperatures are expected to continue with hot, hazy and humid conditions, particularly in coastal areas, on Wednesday — the first day of Ramadan. \"Field workers, children who play outdoor games and those fasting need to take a great deal of care,” said a meteorologist. A prolonged stay outdoors, even in the shade, could be dangerous, he warned. Umm Al Zumool, a town in the south-west of Al Ain, was the hottest place in the UAE on Tuesday with a temperature of 50.9 C, according to the National Centre of Meteorology and Seismology (NCMS). Conditions were not very different elsewhere. At around 1pm on Tuesday the temperature was 49.1C in Falaj Al Mulla, 48.5C in Al Ain, 48.3C in Dubai, 47C in Ras Al Khaimah, 45C in Umm Al Qaiwain and 44C in Sharjah and Abu Dhabi. July and August are considered the two toughest months in the UAE when the heat, coupled with the high humidity, increases discomfort. Over the past few days the maximum humidity has been in the range of 60 to 80 per cent in most coastal areas. \"No immediate change in the current weather conditions is expected, at least for the next couple of days,” said a forecaster. Humidity levels are also expected to increase at night and early in the morning, he said. Daytime conditions, according to the NCMS, will remain hot to very hot, hazy and partly cloudy at time with some towering clouds over mountain areas in the next 48 hours. The wind speed is likely to be 20 to 30km/h but it may get stronger at times in some areas. Source: Gulf News