A seasonal Indian depression is expected to be centered over the central Arabian Peninsula, stabilizing its core between Kuwait, Qatar, Dammam, and Riyadh, which will generate powerful tropical desert winds, with temperatures in the Empty Quarter reaching up to 54 degrees Celsius. This heat will extend toward Jordan, Syria, Palestine, Lebanon, Iraq, Turkey, and Cyprus, breaking the record set in the summer of 2023 with elevated temperatures. Lebanon will experience the peak of the heat in all regions from the afternoon of Saturday, August 12, until Tuesday, August 15. The heatwave is expected to settle notably in the Bekaa region and, as it appears so far, until August 20.
Jocelyn Abou Fares, head of the weather forecasting department at Rafic Hariri International Airport, confirmed to "We Received" that "the heatwave we are witnessing is the strongest this year, with temperatures reaching very high levels, especially in the Bekaa and northern regions." She noted that "humidity will play a negative role in the weather, turning it suffocating along the coast between Syria, Lebanon, Cyprus, and Palestine, potentially reaching 95%, which will increase the sensation of heat from 2 PM until the evening. Residents of the Syrian and Lebanese coasts may feel that temperatures have reached 45 degrees, while conditions in the Bekaa will differ where humidity will reach 10% due to the dry and scorching winds extending from the Empty Quarter desert."
Abou Fares warned against the dangers of exposure to sunlight even if the weather is cloudy. She also cautioned about the risk of fires due to the winds accompanying the heatwave.
The details of the weather for the next few days, according to the airport's meteorological service, are as follows:
- **Friday:** Cloudy to partly cloudy with little change in temperatures on the coast and mountains, while a slight increase is expected inland, and fog will form in higher areas starting from the evening.
- **Saturday:** Partly cloudy to cloudy with a significant increase in temperatures, especially in the mountains and inland where temperatures near 40 degrees are expected, and increased humidity, especially in coastal areas starting from the afternoon, enhancing the feeling of heat. Fog will develop in the middle elevations, and winds will intensify in the evening, raising the risk of forest fires.
- **Sunday:** Partly cloudy to occasionally cloudy with occasional active winds and an additional rise in temperatures reaching up to 42 degrees inland (about 7 degrees above seasonal averages). The risk of forest fires remains, and the feeling of heat intensifies due to high humidity, especially in coastal regions. Drizzle is expected in sporadic cases, particularly in mountainous areas starting from the afternoon.
- **Monday:** Cloudy to partly cloudy with continued high temperatures, remaining about 7 degrees above seasonal averages inland, with dense fog in higher areas and a possibility of drizzle, while the risk of forest fires persists.
The expected temperatures will range between 36 and 40 degrees Celsius. Surface winds will be southwesterly during the day, turning to northwesterly to northeasterly at night, with speeds between 10 and 25 km/h. Visibility will be good to moderate on the coast, deteriorating occasionally in higher areas during the evening due to fog. Relative humidity on the coast will range between 60% and 75%.
