Get ready for the big chill in UAE

Get ready for the big chill in UAE
By Adel Arafah (Our staff reporter)KHALEEJ TIMES 31 January 2008

ABU DHABI — A polar cold air mass passing by the Arabian Gulf is going to stream over the country today afternoon, the National Centre for Meteorology and Seismology predicted yesterday. The air mass would come with a moderate northwest wind.


The cold air mass would affect the Western region in the afternoon and would gradually extend to the other regions in the night.

The temperature would plummet during the night. A sharp fall in temperature would be felt tomorrow (on Friday) as well, especially in the coastal and mountainous areas.

The northwest wind would continue lashing the country tomorrow, and the sky would be hazy in the Northern and Eastern regions accompanied by rain.

The National Centre for Meteorology and Seismology advised the people to be extra careful when venturing into the sea for the next three days from today (Thursday). Waves are likely to be 3-5 feet high near the coast and 8-10 feet high in the high seas. Besides, the centre advised the people to wear warm clothes.

An expert at the centre said the country was affected yesterday by a depression forming in the south and centre of Saudi Arabia which caused the dusty winds, especially in the western region.

Winter storms and snow caused schools and shops to shut across the Middle East yesterday.

Meanwhile, many Israelis and Palestinians stayed home from work as snow piled up in Jerusalem and highland areas of the West Bank. Cars crawled through sleety streets and children, excused from school, flocked to parks to have snowball fights.

The storms also closed government ministries and universities in Jordan’s capital Amman, as many residents took the day off rather than try to negotiate the clogged roads.

In Lebanon, heavy snow disrupted traffic on the main highway to the Syrian capital, Damascus, and left villages above 600 metres (2,000 feet) largely cut off. (With agency inputs)