PHOTO
Kuwaitis buy ice cream as they shop at al-Mubarakiya market amid soaring temperatures in Kuwait City on July 23, 2023. (Photo by YASSER AL-ZAYYAT / AFP)
KUWAIT - Although Kuwait is one of the countries that witnesses the most noticeable rise in temperatures, even exceeding the 50-degree mark in the Jahra station, the forecasts for these days as well as the upcoming days remain open for other regions.
In an interview with KUNA Wednesday, climate observer at the Meteorology Department of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) Dr. Hassan Dashti said that the department is keen to provide all accurate and reliable information on weather conditions and temperatures with internationally accredited scientific measuring devices through 27 land and sea surface monitoring stations in various regions of the country.
These stations measure temperatures transparently and in a scientific way, according to the standards approved by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), and through monitoring stations that are followed up 24 hours a day, monitoring their readings and analyzing them using advanced computers in a scientific way, Dashti added.
He pointed out the administration's keenness to provide all accurate and reliable information and data on weather phenomena and its elements such as temperatures, atmospheric pressure, wind speeds and direction, and rainfall amounts through internationally accredited scientific measurement devices through these stations, noting that all these centers and stations are subject to international standards that must be met so that the desired degree can be calculated and based on it.
Accurate temperature measurements are the main concern of meteorological centers and departments through those stations, with each station having special sensors that depend on the nature of its use, he stated.
He stressed the need to differentiate between measuring the temperature in the shade and measuring it under direct sunlight and in the open air, indicating that temperatures are affected by the surrounding environment, in addition to the accuracy and sensitivity of the thermometer used.
Regarding the confusion about what the temperature indicator reads in some cars and what is circulated on social media, for example, the rise in temperatures above 60 degrees Celsius in the past days, he explained that the thermometer in the car is affected by several factors, including the temperature of the engine, the intensity of traffic congestion, as well as the factor of dark colors and other influences.
Dashti pointed out that the administration also measures the temperature of the soil and at different depths, as well as the temperature of the grass, indicating that measuring the duration and intensity of sunshine during the day are two important elements for understanding and predicting the weather for the purposes of agriculture.
Regarding the measurement of wind speed and direction at the main meteorological station, Dashti said that this is done by an anemometer, as the stations contain an electronic device to measure wind speed and direction automatically and send data to the database on an up-to-date basis.
He stated that the air monitoring station at Kuwait International Airport operates around the clock to ensure the safety of air traffic from weather fluctuations, especially during the take-off and landing operations.
All KUNA right are reserved © 2022. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info).