Now, you can get real-time dust forecasts

The Masdar Institute of Science and Technology has announced the launch of a real-time dust forecasting system that provides accurate and up-to-date dust information for the Middle East region.
The advanced dust forecasting system will help inform government officials and residents about anticipated dust storms so that the nation can take adequate steps to prepare. The web-based forecasting system is available online at http://atlas.masdar.ac.ae/forecast/.
The system, called the "Atmospheric composition and weather forecast system", will help the UAE prepare for the negative impact of dust storms, which can include road accidents, flight disruptions, health problems including asthma, respiratory and other diseases and detriments to agricultural crops.
"This is a turning point in the region's ability to properly manage the impacts of dust storms. With access to accurate forecast of dust events and sandstorms, people can better prepare for them. This information will be extremely useful for the transportation sector, as it will help show motorists, pilots and air traffic controllers where the dust will be and for approximately how long," said Dr Hosni Ghedira, Director of the Research Centre for Renewable Energy Mapping and Assessment (ReCREMA) and professor of practice at Masdar Institute.
The forecasting system provides nearly real-time maps of atmospheric dust and other pollutants across the UAE. It is similar to the UAE Solar and Wind Atlases created by ReCREMA. These atlases provide nearly real-time satellite maps of the UAE's solar and wind resources and are publicly available.
Dr Ghedira is part of the research team that is the first to use the advanced chemistry-transport model called CHIMERE over the Middle East to simulate dust concentrations across the region. CHIMERE is an open source model for air quality forecasting and simulation that enables researchers to enter weather and land surface parameters to produce forecasts of atmospheric ozone, aerosols and other pollutants and run simulations for emission control scenarios.
Because the UAE's dust does not originate in the UAE - it is transported mostly from the Rub' Al Khali or Empty Quarter (the world's largest sand desert encompassing most of the southern third of the Arabian Peninsula), Iran, and North-Africa - the model covers the wider Middle East region.
reporters@khaleejtimes.com