El Nino will make summer harsher for Qatar this year

This summer is likely to be hotter in Qatar and the entire Gulf region, thanks to the El Nino climatic phenomenon, the Meteorology Department said yesterday.

The region may also see a prolonged summer this year extending beyond September.

Citing observations by the meteorology departments in Australia and other countries, the Met office said the El Nino phenomenon could cause a disturbance in natural life in the tropical region of Pacific Ocean.

"There is a rise in sea surface temperature of the Pacific Ocean due to a complex series of factors related to the atmosphere and oceans extending to Arabian Sea.

This situation may lead to a rise in temperature in East and South Africa, Asia and Gulf area the coming summer," said a statement issued by the Department.

Some global Numerical Weather Production shows that the continuation probability of this phenomenon during summer may reach 80 percent and extend until after September.

The El Nino phenomenon is now considered in its first stage. It happened in 1997-1998, and the last observed was five years ago in 2009-2010.

The disturbances which occur due to this phenomenon leads to drought waves in some area and floods in other places such as South USA and Southern America, which may cause heavy rain fall affecting the agricultural crops.

Researches indicate that El Nino will become stronger as the temperature increases over our planet, said the department.

Meanwhile, the strong dust winds that lashed the country over the past two days is expected to continue today. Temperature in Doha would hover between 30 to 40 degrees Celsius. [The Peninsula]

Photo by fatimahashrafkhan