Dust haze blankets Qatar

THE sandstorm experienced across Qatar yesterday may continue until late this evening, according to the Meteorology Department.
“Sandstorms are caused by strong winds blowing over loose soil or sand,” an official explained.
The
present weather is a result of strong wind blowing from the Northern
part of Saudi Arabia, accompanied by the Northwesterly winds, reducing
visibility to less than 1km.
He said that in the desert regions at
certain times of the year, sandstorms become more frequent because the
heating of the air causes the lower atmosphere to become unstable.
“This
instability mixes higher winds in the middle troposphere (the lowest
major atmospheric layer) downward, producing stronger winds at the
surface,” he said.
The official stated that motorists should take precautions by turning on headlamps to avert accidents, given the low visibility.
The seas are very high and warnings have been issued to fishermen to keep at bay until late today.
“There
is a very strong wind blowing offshore at between 22 and 30 knots and
onshore between 15-20 knots,” the Met official said.
The visibility may improve to between 4-5km later today.
Physicians
warned residents to take precautions when coming in contact with the
storm, saying it could lead to allergic conditions and other health
problems such as cough and flu.
“If people can’t stay indoor to
avoid coming in contact with the dust, they could wear protective
coverings over nose and mouth and should clean their faces and mouths
properly when they return,” said general physician Dr Sameer Kalandan.