UAE weather: warning of sandstorms and reduced visibility

The National Centre of Meteorology on Monday urged people to be prepared for sandstorms, dust clouds and reduced visibility on the UAE's roads.

Winds reaching speeds of up to 40 kilometres per hour are kicking up dust clouds across parts of the UAE from Dubai, south into Abu Dhabi and west across Al Dhafra region.

Al Dhafra Municipality has also urged motorists to be cautious and contact the crisis number 993 if they were overwhelmed by a sandstorm.

"Fresh south-easterly winds [are] causing blowing dust and sand with poor horizontal visibility to less than 3,000 metres at times over some exposed areas," the NCM said in an alert.

What causes the UAE's sandstorms and are they dangerous?

The conditions are expected to last until Monday afternoon at the earliest, but could linger into midweek.

Powerful sandstorms can affect the UAE, with a particularly severe event in 2015 blotting out the sky and leading to a surge in hospital admissions.

Meanwhile, it will be humid at night and into Tuesday morning over some coastal and internal areas, with a likelihood of mist.

Winds will be light to moderate, freshening at times and causing dust to blow about.

Conditions will be slight in the Arabian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman.

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Flydubai flies direct from Dubai to Tbilisi from Dh1,025 return including taxes

Dubai works towards better air quality by 2021

Dubai is on a mission to record good air quality for 90 per cent of the year – up from 86 per cent annually today – by 2021.

The municipality plans to have seven mobile air-monitoring stations by 2020 to capture more accurate data in hourly and daily trends of pollution.

These will be on the Palm Jumeirah, Al Qusais, Muhaisnah, Rashidiyah, Al Wasl, Al Quoz and Dubai Investment Park.

“It will allow real-time responding for emergency cases,” said Khaldoon Al Daraji, first environment safety officer at the municipality.

“We’re in a good position except for the cases that are out of our hands, such as sandstorms.

“Sandstorms are our main concern because the UAE is just a receiver.

“The hotspots are Iran, Saudi Arabia and southern Iraq, but we’re working hard with the region to reduce the cycle of sandstorm generation.”

Mr Al Daraji said monitoring as it stood covered 47 per cent of Dubai.

There are 12 fixed stations in the emirate, but Dubai also receives information from monitors belonging to other entities.

“There are 25 stations in total,” Mr Al Daraji said.

“We added new technology and equipment used for the first time for the detection of heavy metals.

“A hundred parameters can be detected but we want to expand it to make sure that the data captured can allow a baseline study in some areas to ensure they are well positioned.”