Strong winds, poor visibility forecast

Strong winds are again expected across the country today along with poor visibility in some places, the Qatar Met department has said.Windy conditions and high seas are likely in offshore areas, too.Different parts of Qatar experienced dusty conditions yesterday, as forecast by the weather office, as well as a sharp drop in visibility in some areas.The conditions improved later and visibility was a lot better by the evening, reports suggested.The Met department had recently said northwesterly fresh to strong winds are expected to affect the country from Friday night until Tuesday (April 3). This was to be accompanied by a “dust mass” originating from the northern Arabian Peninsula as well as blowing dust due to strong winds, causing visibility to drop below 1km in some areas. In view of these conditions, Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) yesterday called on all residents to take precautions against winds and the “dust mass” to avoid possible health risks such as sinus and respiratory allergies.Senior consultant in Emergency Medicine at HMC, Dr Warda al-Saad, said the most vulnerable to respiratory infections were infants, children, the elderly, asthmatic patients and those suffering from chronic bronchitis, the official Qatar News Agency reported.People suffering from heart disease, pregnant women and people working outdoors are likely to be affected by dust and should see a doctor immediately. Dr al-Saad advised individuals suffering from respiratory diseases to use aerosols and bronchodilators immediately on noticing symptoms of asthma, such as persistent coughing, difficulty in breathing, and rush to the nearest health centre.Dr al-Saad also stressed the importance of taking precautions during sandstorms, such as avoiding strolling in open areas, keeping windows and doors closed and covering the nose and mouth with a mask or wet cloth when going out in order to reduce the inhalation of dust particles.It was also recommended to avoid rubbing the eyes to prevent infection, especially that eye inflammation is common in the season of sandstorms. People were advised to wear protective glasses to prevent dust from entering the eyes. In case of irritation in the eye, it must be washed with water.Dr al-Saad said people with severe allergies should start using antihistamines prescribed by their doctor during the season.Meanwhile, today’s detailed forecast says slight to blowing dust is expected in the country today, along with a relatively hot day and scattered clouds. Visibility may drop to 3km or less in some places at times.Offshore, dusty and partly cloudy conditions have been forecast, with the sea level rising to 13ft.The wind speed may go up to 30 knots inshore and 33 knots offshore, the Met department has said.The temperature in Doha will range from 23C to 32C today; yesterday it was 25C to 31C.