Strong winds reaching 90 km/h are affecting the Syrian, Jordanian, and Iraqi deserts with intense sandstorms.

The latest weather maps issued on Monday morning, May 18, 2026, concerning atmospheric pressure systems and wind movement, indicate that several countries in the Levant and the Arabian Peninsula will be affected by active westerly to northwesterly winds, with strong gusts, with expectations that the speed of the gusts will exceed 100 km/h in some areas, especially in the Qalamoun region and the eastern mountain range in Lebanon.

Heavy sandstorms are also expected in the Syrian and Jordanian deserts, moving towards the northern Arabian Peninsula and Iraq, with gusts expected to exceed 90 km/h, which could significantly affect major international roads, including the Baghdad International Road linking Amman and Baghdad, as well as border crossings and vital roads.

The effects also extend to parts of northern Saudi Arabia, including Arar, Al-Jawf and the Northern Borders, according to the National Center for Meteorology, and may later reach Kuwait and Iraq.

And God knows best.