Around 10 countries brace for extreme heat as a powerful heat dome grips the region A powerful heatwave is set to sweep across much of the Arab world over the coming days, with temperatures forecast to approach or exceed 50C in parts of the Gulf as a persistent high-pressure system and an intense thermal dome tighten their grip on the region. Meteorologists say around 10 Arab countries will be affected by the broad weather pattern, bringing prolonged spells of extreme heat, unusually warm nights and, in some areas, the prospect of heavy rainfall later in the season. Weather models indicate that the most severe conditions will be concentrated across the Arabian Peninsula and Iraq, particularly Kuwait, eastern Saudi Arabia, the interior and desert regions of the UAE, and Baghdad, where daytime temperatures are expected to climb to around 50C, with some locations potentially exceeding that threshold. The heatwave is being driven by a strong upper-level ridge of high pressure, commonly known as a heat dome, which traps hot air near the surface and suppresses cloud formation, allowing temperatures to rise steadily over several days. The influence of the system extends beyond the Gulf into the Levant, where Syria is expected to experience some of the highest temperatures outside the Arabian Peninsula, [...]
