Temperatures set to soar in Iraq at week's end: forecasters

LONDON (AFP) Apr 01, 2003
Much of Iraq is set to see the first really hot spell of the year by the coming weekend, although there is less likelihood of further sandstorms, British weather forecasters said on Tuesday.

Forecasters with the domestic news agency Press Association said temperatures were likely to rise to about 38 degrees Celsius (100 degrees Fahrenheit) by Friday, and to hit 47 degrees Celsius (106 degrees Fahrenheit) during the weekend.

The hot weather is expected to make conditions much worse for both sides in the brutal war now unfolding in Iraq.

"This is the first major heatwave of the season but it looks more intense than is usual for this time of year," said Michael Dukes at the PA WeatherCentre.

"It will be a dry heat and there is no indication that the sandstorms will return any time soon because the wind is coming from a different direction.

"We would expect temperatures to drop back down early next week," he added.

SPACE.WIRE