Unique System FZE, a Unique Maritime Group Company, which is one of the world’s leading integrated turnkey subsea and offshore solution providers, along with The Geodesy and Hydrographic Survey Section of Dubai Municipality established a Sandstorm Forecasting/Prediction system. This is launched at the Dubai Municipality’s stand (S2-B21) at the Gitex Technology Week, Exhibition held at The Dubai World Trade Centre from October 20th to October 24th, 2013.
Dubai Municipality’s Geodesy and Hydrographic Survey Section of Dubai Municipality has several components comprising of various sub-systems that provide real time monitoring, alerts, warnings and timely dissemination of information to concerned departments.
The contract to build this system was given to Unique System FZE based on the superior understanding of the overall project and experienced staff.
While sand storms are of natural occurrence, they can pose a great problem for human societies living near the desert regions. For example Arabian Peninsula experiences more frequent sand storms as compared to the other regions.
After studying satellite imagery there have been identified areas in Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia as large sources of dust affecting the UAE. There are also source areas in Pakistan and locally in the UAE. The dust storms are driven by current meteorological situations, e.g. strong winds favoring their occurrence but recent rainfall acting against them.
Therefore Dubai Municipality started the sandstorm prediction project. It will be an extension to the existing Dubai Municipality’s Fog Monitoring and Forecasting System which runs at Dubai Municipality since 2010.
The system will be based on the state of the art 3D weather prediction model with which Dubai Municipality has several years of experience and integrated with the model for sand source areas, transport by wind and settling.
It will be verified against geostationary and polar orbiting satellites, lidar and aerodrome reports.
Dust storm system will also present real time satellite images because they can display coming dust storm quite accurately.
First results of the Dust storm prediction system are very promising and indicate that system will help prepare public for dust storm events.
Eng. Mohammed Mahmoud Mashroom, the Director of Survey Department of Dubai Municipality commented on this occasion “We are very proud with the results of this project which is not only useful to our department but also to the whole nation and for the people living here”.
Earlier Dubai Municipality had only 5 coastal stations , then in 2010 +8 inland stations , 3-D weather model and 1D Fog Model were launched , then in 2012 satellite imagery and remote metrologist services were available and now in 2013 new buoys , new cameras , rain gauges and sandstorm monitoring systems will be available.
On this occasion Ian Huggins, General Manager @ Unique System FZE said “We are proud to be working with Dubai Municipality so closely on such innovative projects and being a part of this progressive set up for a safer and secure environment”.
Additional Coverage:
1. Emirates 24/7 [October 21st, 2013]
2. UAE Interact [October 22nd, 2013]
4. The National [October 21st, 2013]
5. Arab News [October 22nd, 2013]
6. Scandinavian Oil & Gas [October 22nd, 2013]
7. Silobreaker
8. Your Industry News [October 21st, 2013]
9. Arabian Business [October 21st, 2013]
10. Your Oil & Gas News [October 21st, 2013]
11. Technical Review Middle East [October 22nd, 2013]
12. The Gulf Today [October 22nd, 2013]
13. Saudi Gazette [October 22nd, 2013]
14. Breitbart [October 21st, 2013]
15. Gulf Base [October 21st, 2013]
16. Your Gulf Oil News [October 21st, 2013]
17. Your Oil Event News [October 21st, 2013]
18. Ameinfo [October 28th, 2013]
20. Gulf in the Media [October 22nd, 2013]
21. Dubai AM
23. Big News Network [October 21st, 2013]
24. Zawya [October 22nd, 2013]
25. Your Oil Software News [October 21st, 2013]
26. Your Subsea News [October 21st, 2013]
