Eight Iraqi governorates to see 50°C or higher

BAGHDAD — Iraq’s Meteorological Authority said Sunday that six governorates — Maysan, Karbala, Babil, Wasit, Najaf, and Diwaniyah — are expected to record temperatures of 50 degrees Celsius, while Dhi Qar and Muthanna are forecast to reach 51 degrees.

The authority’s daily report said the country is experiencing “hot to extremely hot summer weather” with generally clear skies, occasionally interspersed with scattered clouds, which are expected to increase over southern Iraq and parts of the northeast.

Temperatures will be similar to those recorded on Saturday, with a slight decrease in some areas, according to the report. Winds will be northwesterly, light to moderate at 20–30 km/h, shifting to humid southeasterly in Basra and Maysan, and remaining calm in parts of the central and northern regions.

Horizontal visibility will range between 8–10 kilometers in most areas, dropping to 4–6 kilometers in southern and eastern regions due to dust and pollution, the report said.