High humidity tells on Eastern Province residents

The Eastern Province is experiencing extremely harsh weather this summer. Nighttime temperatures are hovering between 35 and 40 degrees C. Daytime temperatures are unbearable with mercury routinely touching 45 degrees C.
“What has made things particularly worse is the high level of humidity,” said a weather forecaster. “We will see weather reaching comfortable levels around the middle of September because summer officially begins on June 21 and ends on Sept. 21.”
His ideal advice to people during these months would be to drink a lot of water. “Since Ramadan is upon us, our advice would be to avoid going out in the sun between the hours of 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.,” he said. “Try to accomplish your daily chores in the evenings or during early morning hours.”
He agreed that the weather is depressing. “Humidity is the killing factor, even when the temperatures are not very high it is the humidity that makes the weather unbearable. The air, heavy as it is with moisture, makes breathing difficult,” he said.
According to the weather forecaster, temperatures in Riyadh have also shot up. “The humidity in Riyadh is much lower, therefore not as unbearable,” he said.
A doctor at a local hospital said there was an unusually large number of people complaining of having difficulty breathing and seeking treatment at his clinic these days. “Most of them were either children or elderly people. Many of them had to be put on nebulizers to ease their breathing,” he said. “In extreme weather, such cases are to be expected.”
During Ramadan, the well-kept beaches of Dammam, Alkhobar and Jubail are the destinations of choice for the faithful to break their fasts with family and friends. However, this is not the case recently as beaches remain empty.
“I frequently see my glasses covered in mist because of the difference in temperature inside and outside the car. Sometimes you don’t realize what is happening, and in those blinding moments you go crazy,” said Javed Hafeez, a well-known Indian expatriate. “I have been here for the last 25 years and the Eastern Province is like this during the summer. This is certainly not unusual.”
“People prefer to stay indoors,” said Jumana Rasheed, an Al-Khobar based homemaker. “Who would want to go outside in this weather? There are only a few places where you can feel comfortable — in restaurants, mosques or shopping malls. I feel sorry for the children; they are on vacation and cannot go outdoors.”