Riyadh-Climate experts have warned that an unprecedented heat wave will strike the Gulf in the coming months, saying Saudi Arabia will be heavily affected by rising temperatures given its huge geographic area.

Specialists told Asharq Al-Awsat there are expectations that the temperature will reach 55 degrees Celsius during the coming two months along with sand and dust storms.

Meteorology instructor at The University of King Abdulaziz, Mazen Assiri, attributed the unprecedented rise in temperatures to several factors, including “the arrival of summer where the sun is perpendicular with its full rays on the Hemisphere, in addition to other factors such as global warming and climate change.”

Assiri said that heat waves are very likely to happen in August and September, to reach their peak of 55 degrees Celsius in shade.

Member of the committee for naming Saudi climate changes meteorologist Ali Masshour said that when winds hit mountains, they lead to a rise in temperatures and decline of moisture.

“There is also a topographic reason, i.e., the Arab Gulf basin, in general, and the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia, in specific, are located in a region of low elevation, which makes them vulnerable to high temperatures and sand storms,” he added.