ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq - Temperatures on Friday are projected to reach 50°C in Iraq's southern provinces of Maysan and Basra. Meanwhile, Nineveh, Diwaniyah, Wasit, and Dhi Qar are expected to record 49°C, the country's meteorology department announced.

 

"The maximum temperature for Friday will be 48°C in Baghdad, Diyala, Babylon, Kirkuk, Salahaddin, and Najaf,” the statement read.

 

It added that the Kurdistan Region’s Erbil and Sulaimani provinces will hit 47°C, while Duhok is forecasted to reach 45°C.

 

Iraq’s meteorology department warned that the southern provinces of Maysan and Basra will bear the brunt of the heatwave with temperatures reaching 50°C.

 

Iraq is enduring a hot summer, with temperatures often exceeding 50°C, worsened by decreasing rainfall, rampant desertification, and frequent dust storms.

 

Rampant desertification has caused frequent dust storms in Iraq, making them common in recent years.

 

According to government data, Iraq experiences over 200 dusty days per year, a number projected to reach 300 by 2050 unless drastic climate action is taken.

 

The United Nations ranks Iraq among the world's five most climate-vulnerable countries.