Iraq weather alert: Dust storm to hit several provinces tonight

Shafaq News/ A dust storm originating in eastern Syria is advancing toward Nineveh and al-Anbar provinces, Iraq’s General Authority for Meteorology and Seismology reported on Wednesday.

According to the General Authority’s statement, the storm, driven by northwesterly winds and a moderate air mass, is expected to reach the western and northern outskirts of Baghdad, as well as southwestern regions, by late Wednesday. It is forecast to spread across the country on Thursday, accompanied by a noticeable temperature drop.

Weather analyst Ali al-Jaber al-Ziyadi attributed the conditions to a dry thermal low-pressure system affecting Iraq. Speaking to our agency, he noted that a moderate air mass from the eastern Levant would enter western regions overnight, bringing winds up to 33 km/h and triggering dense dust that could severely reduce visibility, particularly in the west and Euphrates basin.

Al-Ziyadi cautioned that horizontal visibility may deteriorate further, with possible rainfall in some central and northern areas. He also projected a 9°C temperature drop, adding that the cold front would intensify by Friday in the south, potentially lowering temperatures for several days.