Shafaq News/ On Friday, an American report highlighted the extreme heat wave sweeping the Gulf countries this week, with temperatures reaching over 65°C when factoring in humidity, posing a serious threat to life.

The Washington Post newspaper reported that “the heat and humidity in the Persian Gulf region have soared to nearly intolerable levels this week, and there’s little relief in sight.”

In June, dangerous, record-breaking heat affected five continents, making it the hottest June ever recorded, according to NOAA. Scientists attribute these heat waves to human-induced climate change, which has increased the frequency of life-threatening temperatures.

“Temperatures at the Persian Gulf International Airport in Asaluyeh, Iran, climbed to 108 (42 C) on Wednesday and 106 (41 C) on Thursday, with both days recording a peak heat index of 149 (65 C). In Dubai, the temperature topped out at 113 (45 C) on Tuesday and the heat index soared to 144 (62 C). Other extreme heat indexes in recent days include 141 (61 C) in Abu Dhabi and 136 (58 C) at Khasab Air Base in Oman,” the newspaper affirmed.

According to the report, maximum air temperatures have ranged this week from 105 to 115°F (41 to 46°C), slightly above average. However, the dew points, indicating humidity, have soared into the 80s°F (27 to 32°C). In the US, a dew point above 70°F (21°C) is deemed excessively humid.

In this context, “it’s the very high dew points that have propelled heat indexes up to 30 degrees (16 C) above actual air temperatures.”

The intense humidity is linked to the bathtub-like water temperatures of the Persian Gulf, the warmest globally. According to data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, sea surface temperatures reach up to 95°F (35°C).

Due to the high humidity, nighttime lows have remained unusually warm, often staying above 85°F (29°C). In Iranshar, Iran, temperatures only fell to 97°F (36°C) on Wednesday night, marking the hottest July night on record for the area.

A Washington Post analysis found that “the wet-bulb globe temperature, which measures the amount of heat stress on the human body, reached 96 (36 C) at the Persian Gulf International Airport and 95 (35 C) in Dubai, exceeding the threshold of 89.6 (32 C) that researchers have said poses a risk to human survival if such heat is prolonged. The wet-bulb globe temperature, which was calculated using data from nearby weather stations, takes into account a combination of temperature, humidity, wind and clouds.”

Researchers have identified the Persian Gulf as one of the regions most likely to frequently surpass life-threatening heat levels over the next 30 to 50 years. Recently, Dubai was ranked as the city with the most hazardous summer heat globally, experiencing dangerous heat on 89 percent of summer days, while Doha, Qatar, was ranked second.