KUWAIT: Dusty weather is predicted for the weekend yet again in Kuwait. Strong winds of up to 50 km/h in speed that cause rising dust and drop in visibility may hit Kuwait by Friday evening and continue through the weekend, said Yasser Al-Bloushi, meteorologist at Kuwait Meteorological Center. He further warned of a "severe duststorm" that is expected to hit Kuwait on Monday. The weekend's weather is also expected to be hot with the temperatures ranging between 41 and 46 degrees Celsius, according to Bloushi. Meanwhile, the strong winds could cause high waves of up to six feet on Friday and Saturday, Bloushi warned.

A massive dust storm coming from Iraq affected large areas of Kuwait on Monday, dropping visibility to less than 1,000 km and suspending flights from and to the country. Kuwait Meteorological Center said the dust storm was accompanied with strong winds exceeding 50 km/h in speed, while sea waves would reach as high as six feet. The bad weather conditions, described as "severe" in the meteorological center's weather warning, disrupted flights at Kuwait International Airport and navigation at Kuwait ports.

Motorists were urged to avoid driving unless necessary and take extreme caution while on the road as visibility dropped to as low as 100 meters especially in open areas. The health ministry also warned people with breathing difficulties to exert extra caution, while the education ministry also closed schools on Tuesday as a precautionary measure.

Kuwait has been hit by frequent dust storms this year well ahead of their usual season. Most of the dust is carried from Iraq to Kuwait by northwesterly winds brought by the Indian monsoon depression affecting the region. Another massive dust storm hit Iraq yesterday; the eighth since mid-April. Iraq has been battered by soil degradation, intense droughts and low rainfall linked to climate change.