UAE weather today: Hot and dusty start to the week

Monday will be hot, sunny and dusty at times, as gusty winds kick up dust and sand clouds.

Temperatures will hit 39°C in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. It will be warmer in the south, which will reach highs of 44°C.

Light to moderate winds will strengthen at times, blowing dust and sand, which will become suspended at times.

Conditions in the Arabian Gulf will become rough by the evening. It will be slight to moderate in the Oman Sea.

The rest of the working week will bring more of the same, with light to moderate winds picking up at times, blowing dust and sand, especially in the west.

The weather will heat up towards the end of the week, reaching a peak on Friday, when temperatures are expected to reach as high as 46°C in Al Ain and towards the southern border.

But conditions will remain consistently around 40°C on the coast, dropping to the mid to late 30s on Saturday.

Dusty weather in the UAE - in pictures

Dust hangs amid the residential and office towers of Jumeirah Lake Towers in Dubai in 2018. Pawan Singh / The National
Dust hangs over Sheikh Zayed Road in Dubai in July 2018. Reem Mohammed / The National
Al Furjan area in Dubai is overcome with dust and haze. Pawan Singh / The National
A worker covers his face to protect from the dust while cycling in Jumeirah Park. Pawan Singh / The National
The sandstorm causes a white haze around Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque n Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National
Dusty Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Street. Victor Besa / The National
Workers wait for their bus in Discovery Gardens in Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National
Haze hangs over Dubai. Antonie Robertson / The National

The Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index

Mazen Abukhater, principal and actuary at global consultancy Mercer, Middle East, says the company’s Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index - which benchmarks 34 pension schemes across the globe to assess their adequacy, sustainability and integrity - included Saudi Arabia for the first time this year to offer a glimpse into the region.

The index highlighted fundamental issues for all 34 countries, such as a rapid ageing population and a low growth / low interest environment putting pressure on expected returns. It also highlighted the increasing popularity around the world of defined contribution schemes.

“Average life expectancy has been increasing by about three years every 10 years. Someone born in 1947 is expected to live until 85 whereas someone born in 2007 is expected to live to 103,” Mr Abukhater told the Mena Pensions Conference.

“Are our systems equipped to handle these kind of life expectancies in the future? If so many people retire at 60, they are going to be in retirement for 43 years – so we need to adapt our retirement age to our changing life expectancy.”

Saudi Arabia came in the middle of Mercer’s ranking with a score of 58.9. The report said the country's index could be raised by improving the minimum level of support for the poorest aged individuals and increasing the labour force participation rate at older ages as life expectancies rise.

Mr Abukhater said the challenges of an ageing population, increased life expectancy and some individuals relying solely on their government for financial support in their retirement years will put the system under strain.

“To relieve that pressure, governments need to consider whether it is time to switch to a defined contribution scheme so that individuals can supplement their own future with the help of government support,” he said.

The specs

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UAE weather today: Hot and dusty start to the week

Dubai and Abu Dhabi temperatures will hit 39°C

Dusty weather in the UAE - in pictures

The Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index

The specs