The Persian Gulf region is currently experiencing a brutal heatwave, with temperatures and humidity reaching near-unbearable levels.
This scorching heat, fueled by a combination of factors, is pushing the boundaries of human heat tolerance and raising concerns about the long-term impact on the environment.
Kuwait and Dubai are particularly hard hit, struggling to cope with the scorching conditions that have pushed the limits of human heat tolerance.
Dubai’s life-threatening conditions
Dubai is experiencing a brutal heatwave , with temperatures reaching 109.4°F (43°C). However, the ‘feels like’ temperature is pushing an alarming 143.6°F (62°C) , according to US-based weather services.
This perilously high figure is due to the intense air temperature and high humidity, which generate a heat index far hotter than the recorded air temperature.
On July 17, Dubai’s ‘feel like’ temperature rose to a brutal 143.6°F (62°C), nearing the estimated limit of human heat tolerance. The so-called wet-bulb temperature, which takes into account both heat and humidity, is considered fatal for humans if exposed for over six hours.
With humidity levels at 100 percent, sweat stops evaporating. This means the body cannot cool itself down, posing a lethal threat if these conditions persist.
Dubai’s geographical position close to the Tropic of Cancer and its proximity to the Persian Gulf contribute to these dangerous conditions.
Additionally, the urban heat island effect, where city surfaces absorb and retain heat, makes urban areas warmer than surrounding rural zones. Weather services in Dubai are warning that temperatures are nearing the wet-bulb limit, after which going outside becomes life-threatening.
Kuwait’s scorching temperatures
In June, Kuwait logged the third-highest temperature in the world at 120.74°F (49.3°C), recorded at the International Airport. Last week, temperatures climbed to a sweltering 51°C, nearing the country’s record of 129.2°F (54°C).
This perilously high figure is attributed to the combination of intense air temperatures and high humidity, generating a heat index far hotter than the recorded air temperature.
Authorities in Kuwait have issued warnings, advising citizens to avoid direct sunlight and be mindful of the dangers of heatstroke and heat exhaustion.
During previous heatwaves, the government suspended daytime operations on construction sites and other outdoor workplaces to protect workers from the extreme heat.
Environmental impact and future predictions
The extreme heat has a significant environmental impact, with energy consumption soaring as people crank up air conditioning to cope with the higher temperatures.
In Kuwait, the increased use of electricity for air conditioning has caused blackouts, leading authorities to urge citizens to conserve electricity to avoid overloading power grids. In Dubai, power usage hit a record megawatts per hour as people sought relief from the sweltering conditions.
Temperatures at the Persian Gulf International Airport in Asaluyeh, Iran, climbed to 108°F (42°C) on Wednesday and 106°F (41°C) on Thursday, with both days recording a peak heat index of 149°F (65°C).
In Dubai, the temperature topped out at 113°F (45°C) on Tuesday, with a heat index soaring to 144°F (62°C). Other extreme heat indexes in recent days include 141°F (61°C) in Abu Dhabi and 136°F (58°C) at Khasab Air Base in Oman.
Last August, the region experienced even more extreme heat indexes, climbing as high as 158°F (70°C).
The very high dew points, a measure of humidity, have propelled heat indexes up to 30 degrees (16°C) above actual air temperatures. These extreme humidity levels are tied to bathtub-like water temperatures in the Persian Gulf, the warmest in the world.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration data shows sea surface temperatures as warm as 95°F (35°C).
Nighttime minimum temperatures have also remained exceptionally warm, in many cases staying above 85°F (29°C). In Iranshahr, Iran, temperatures only dropped to 97°F (36°C) on Wednesday night, marking its hottest July night on record.
A Washington Post analysis found that the wet-bulb globe temperature, which measures the amount of heat stress on the human body, reached 96°F (36°C) at the Persian Gulf International Airport and 95°F (35°C) in Dubai. These readings exceed the threshold of 89.6°F (32°C) that researchers have said poses a risk to human survival if such heat is prolonged.
Record-breaking temperatures and global impact
Researchers have identified the Persian Gulf as one of the regions most likely to regularly exceed life-threatening heat thresholds over the next 30 to 50 years. Dubai was recently ranked as the city with the most dangerous summer heat in the world, with dangerous heat on 89 percent of summer days. Doha, Qatar, came in second.
Numerous heat records have been set in the region, including a scorching high temperature of 123°F (50°C) in the United Arab Emirates and 126°F (52°C) in cities in both Kuwait and Iraq.
The city of Amarah recorded Iraq’s warmest nighttime low on record at 102°F (39°C). The same heat dome affecting the Persian Gulf region has spread record heat northward into Eastern Europe, westward into northern Africa, and eastward into India, Pakistan, and Indonesia.
The intense July heat follows an extremely hot June . In Saudi Arabia, temperatures reached 125°F (52°C), causing hundreds of deaths from heatstroke during the Hajj pilgrimag e. Nighttime temperatures in Delhi stayed as high as 95°F (35°C) on June 18.
Scientists believe these heat waves show how human-caused climate change is making dangerous temperatures more common.
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