The brunt of the UAE summer may be ending but intense humidity is expected to engulf the country over the next few days.
Forecasters warned of fog in some areas during early morning and said the sticky weather would continue until Friday.
On Tuesday, humidity levels reached 84 per cent by 8am in some parts of Abu Dhabi, including the Corniche.
The weather was less muggy in Dubai during the morning commute, with humidity hitting about 70 per cent near the coast along Jumeirah.
A spokesperson for the National Centre of Meteorology said humidity levels across the country could soar to 90 to 95 per cent in coastal areas on Wednesday and Thursday morning in both Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
For the rest of the week, the muggy spell is expected to be particularly noticeable at night and early in the morning.
Temperatures will peak at 44°C in internal areas of the country this week but the average is set to sit in the high 30s and low 40s. The highs would be felt from noon until about 2pm.
In the coastal regions of the UAE, the high humidity brought on by sea breezes off the Gulf exacerbates the temperatures. With humid days set to be become more frequent, what exactly is humidity and how does it affect us? The National explains:
What is humidity?
Humidity is a measure of how much water vapour is in the air around us. The more moisture in the air, the higher the humidity. Usually, the humidity figure we see or hear on weather forecasts is relative humidity, meaning it represents the moisture in the air as a percentage of the maximum amount of water vapour the air can hold. How much moisture the air can hold depends on the air temperature.
Why does it affect how comfortable we feel?
In might be 38 degrees on both Monday and Tuesday, but Tuesday might feel far hotter. The reason is likely to be humidity, and more specifically, how our bodies react to it.
We tend to deal with high temperatures, in low humidity, relatively well. When it is hot, but there is low humidity, we sweat and this moisture is easily evaporated into the atmosphere. This process helps us cool down. However, in very high humidity, the atmosphere is already heavy with moisture, meaning it is so clogged up there isn’t room for much more vapour. This means fluid from our skin evaporates more slowly, causing our bodies to overheat.
This is why there are often two numbers in weather forecasts – the actual temperature, and a "feels like" figure, which is supposed to take into account humidity.
What causes humidity?
Humidity comes from water evaporating from large bodies of water. As temperatures heat up, so do the seas, for example, causing more moisture to evaporate into the atmosphere. This is why humidity is worse in coastal areas, such as Abu Dhabi city and Dubai.
How should we cope?
At times of high humidity, it is especially important to stay hydrated. Where possible, it is advised to avoid going outside, and those who insist on exercising outdoors should be particularly aware of the potential dangers of heat stroke. In the home, a dehumidifier can help by sucking moisture out of the air.
Is it getting worse?
Research has suggested that global warming may lead to heatwaves beyond the limit of human survival, including in places such as Abu Dhabi and Dubai, with humidity a crucial factor.
A study published in 2015 said wet bulb temperature (WBT) - a combined measure of heat and humidity - is set to increase if global carbon emissions continue at current rates.
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
Sukuk explained
Sukuk are Sharia-compliant financial certificates issued by governments, corporates and other entities. While as an asset class they resemble conventional bonds, there are some significant differences. As interest is prohibited under Sharia, sukuk must contain an underlying transaction, for example a leaseback agreement, and the income that is paid to investors is generated by the underlying asset. Investors must also be prepared to share in both the profits and losses of an enterprise. Nevertheless, sukuk are similar to conventional bonds in that they provide regular payments, and are considered less risky than equities. Most investors would not buy sukuk directly due to high minimum subscriptions, but invest via funds.
TOURNAMENT INFO
Women’s World Twenty20 Qualifier
Jul 3- 14, in the Netherlands
The top two teams will qualify to play at the World T20 in the West Indies in November
UAE squad
Humaira Tasneem (captain), Chamani Seneviratne, Subha Srinivasan, Neha Sharma, Kavisha Kumari, Judit Cleetus, Chaya Mughal, Roopa Nagraj, Heena Hotchandani, Namita D’Souza, Ishani Senevirathne, Esha Oza, Nisha Ali, Udeni Kuruppuarachchi
'The Lost Daughter'
Director: Maggie Gyllenhaal
Starring: Olivia Colman, Jessie Buckley, Dakota Johnson
Rating: 4/5
Indoor cricket in a nutshell
Indoor Cricket World Cup - Sep 16-20, Insportz, Dubai
16 Indoor cricket matches are 16 overs per side
8 There are eight players per team
9 There have been nine Indoor Cricket World Cups for men. Australia have won every one.
5 Five runs are deducted from the score when a wickets falls
4 Batsmen bat in pairs, facing four overs per partnership
Scoring In indoor cricket, runs are scored by way of both physical and bonus runs. Physical runs are scored by both batsmen completing a run from one crease to the other. Bonus runs are scored when the ball hits a net in different zones, but only when at least one physical run is score.
Zones
A Front net, behind the striker and wicketkeeper: 0 runs
B Side nets, between the striker and halfway down the pitch: 1 run
C Side nets between halfway and the bowlers end: 2 runs
D Back net: 4 runs on the bounce, 6 runs on the full
War 2
Director: Ayan Mukerji
Stars: Hrithik Roshan, NTR, Kiara Advani, Ashutosh Rana
Rating: 2/5
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2017%20RESULTS%3A%20FRENCH%20VOTERS%20IN%20UK
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Company profile
Name: Steppi
Founders: Joe Franklin and Milos Savic
Launched: February 2020
Size: 10,000 users by the end of July and a goal of 200,000 users by the end of the year
Employees: Five
Based: Jumeirah Lakes Towers, Dubai
Financing stage: Two seed rounds – the first sourced from angel investors and the founders' personal savings
Second round raised Dh720,000 from silent investors in June this year
If you go
Flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh with a stop in Yangon from Dh3,075, and Etihad flies from Abu Dhabi to Phnom Penh with its partner Bangkok Airlines from Dh2,763. These trips take about nine hours each and both include taxes. From there, a road transfer takes at least four hours; airlines including KC Airlines (www.kcairlines.com) offer quick connecting flights from Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville from about $100 (Dh367) return including taxes. Air Asia, Malindo Air and Malaysian Airlines fly direct from Kuala Lumpur to Sihanoukville from $54 each way. Next year, direct flights are due to launch between Bangkok and Sihanoukville, which will cut the journey time by a third.
The stay
Rooms at Alila Villas Koh Russey (www.alilahotels.com/ kohrussey) cost from $385 per night including taxes.
GIANT REVIEW
Starring: Amir El-Masry, Pierce Brosnan
Director: Athale
Rating: 4/5
Results:
2.15pm: Handicap (PA) Dh60,000 1,200m.
Winner: AZ Dhabyan, Adam McLean (jockey), Saleha Al Ghurair (trainer).
2.45pm: Maiden (PA) Dh60,000 1,200m.
Winner: Ashton Tourettes, Sam Hitchcott, Ibrahim Aseel.
3.15pm: Conditions (PA) Dh60,000 2,000m.
Winner: Hareer Al Reef, Gerald Avranche, Abdallah Al Hammadi.
3.45pm: Maiden (PA) Dh60,000 1,700m.
Winner: Kenz Al Reef, Gerald Avranche, Abdallah Al Hammadi.
4.15pm: Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Cup (TB) Dh 200,000 1,700m.
Winner: Mystique Moon, Sam Hitchcott, Doug Watson.
4.45pm: The Crown Prince Of Sharjah Cup Prestige (PA) Dh200,000 1,200m.
Winner: ES Ajeeb, Sam Hitchcott, Ibrahim Aseel.
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
The specs
Engine: four-litre V6 and 3.5-litre V6 twin-turbo
Transmission: six-speed and 10-speed
Power: 271 and 409 horsepower
Torque: 385 and 650Nm
Price: from Dh229,900 to Dh355,000
SPECS
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, second leg
Roma 4
Milner (15' OG), Dzeko (52'), Nainggolan (86', 90 4')
Liverpool 2
Mane (9'), Wijnaldum (25')
Company%20profile
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The Specs:
The Specs:
Engine: 2.9-litre, V6 twin-turbo
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Power: 444bhp
Torque: 600Nm
Price: AED 356,580 incl VAT
On sale: now.
