Basra, Maysan and Dhi Qar at 45°C with the north in the 30s

BAGHDAD — Basra, Maysan and Dhi Qar are forecast at 45°C on Wednesday while five northern governorates stay in the 30s, the Iraqi Meteorological Organization and Seismology said.

Diwaniyah, Najaf and Muthanna are expected at 44°C, Baghdad, Babil, Wasit and Karbala 43°C, and Diyala and Salah al-Din 42°C. Further north, Kirkuk and Nineveh are forecast at 40°C, Erbil 38°C, Sulaymaniyah 37°C and Duhok 36°C.

Conditions stay hot through the day, easing overnight and in the early morning. Northwesterly winds are forecast at 10 to 20 km/h with calm and variable periods in parts of the centre, strengthening to around 35 km/h in the south. Visibility will be 8 to 10 km, falling to 5 to 7 km in the morning because of haze and raised pollutant levels.

Thursday stays clear, with Basra, Maysan, Dhi Qar and Diwaniyah at 45°C, Wasit, Najaf and Muthanna 44°C, Baghdad, Babil and Karbala 43°C, Kirkuk and Nineveh 40°C, Erbil 38°C and Sulaymaniyah and Duhok 37°C. Clear weather continues through Sunday with scattered cloud in the south on Friday, before temperatures ease slightly in the centre and south on Saturday and by several degrees in the north.