RAJESH MISHRA

DOHA IF you thought that you had seen the back of winter for this year and had packed your warm clothes, get them out pronto, or else, you’re bound to fall sick.

Chilly weather accompanied by strong north-westerly wind carrying dust will continue to lash Doha and its surrounding areas for the next 72 hours, says the Department of Meteorology.

The dust storm, which began on Thursday, raised the temperature into the mid-30s. However, by Saturday, the temperature dropped to 12-13 degrees. The Met department explained this inconsistency, especially this sharp drop in temperature because of the change in the direction of the wind from south-easterly to north-westerly.

According to the Met, chilly, windy and dusty weather, which hit Doha and its surrounding areas on Saturday, leading to a drop in the minimum temperature to 17 degree Celsius, will also continue on Sunday, with the minimum temperature dipping further to 14 degree Celsius.

However, a senior manager who drives home every afternoon pointed out that the temperature at 6 pm on Saturday was 16 degrees compared to Thursday, when it was 30 degrees at the same time. If the temperature is 16 degrees at 6 pm on Saturday, then the minimum expected to fall as low as 12 or 13 degrees.

Moreover, the Met office has warned against strong wind and high seas offshore on Sunday forecasting the speed of the north-westerly wind to be 15-27 knots inshore and 20-30 knots offshore, touching 35 knots at some places, as well as rise in sea waves up to 15 feet offshore.

Earlier on Thursday, Head of Forecast and Analysis Section of the MET department Abdulla Mohammed al Mannai had said weather conditions marked the transition from winter to spring and urged the residents, both nationals and expatriates, to take precautions against exposure to the inclement weather.

The dusty weather conditions, he said would stay for 72 hours from Saturday with the speed of the wind at 20 - 30 knots, touching 38 knots at some places. Visibility would be reduced from 4 km to 2 km at some places, while the sea waves would measure between 9 to 12 feet going up to 14 ft at some places.