Temperature drops to record low in Qatar

Doha // Qatar recorded the lowest ever temperature in the country’s history on Sunday, just 1.5°C.

The temperature was recorded at a weather station in Abu Samra, in south-west of the country, in the early morning, Qatar News Agency said.

“The new record low temperature is the lowest since the 3.8 degrees recorded in January of 1964,” QNA said.

Temperatures had been relatively low for several days in Qatar, which the meteorology department said was due to an area of high pressure.

Qatar usually makes headlines for its hot weather.

Most notably, football’s governing body Fifa controversially switched the timing of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar to November and December because temperatures in the summer, when the tournament is usually held, regularly reach 50°C.

In December, tournament organisers announced that labourers would be given “cooling” hard hats to reduce their body temperature as they build football stadiums for the event.

* Agence France-Presse