On Feb. 3, strong winds brewed on the western horizon of Saadiyat Island, blanketing NYU Abu Dhabi’s campus with sand and debris. With north-westerly winds reaching up to 80 kilometers per hour, the UAE felt a significant drop in temperatures due to a low-pressure atmospheric system in the south of Iran extending to the UAE and north of Oman. The inclement weather had several repercussions across the country, from the toppling over of cranes, trees and lamp-posts, to the forced cancellation of various major events.

Although Abu Dhabi, and the UAE in general, have experienced intense hailstorms, flooding and fog in the past, they had never seen dust-ridden winds as fierce as the ones this past weekend. The National Centre of Meteorology and Seismology reported a significant decrease in visibility, below to 100 meters in some areas. More astonishingly, the northwesterly wind brought snow to UAE's tallest peak, Jebel Jais.

“I have lived in Abu Dhabi all my life, but I have never before seen a sandstorm wreck havoc like it did this time,” said Zain Mustafa, Class of 2020.

Madhav Juneja, Class of 2020, was fortunate enough to experience rare snow on Jebel Jais peak in Ras Al Khaimah last weekend. “Touching the snow felt like tapping a box with happy memories,” he said. “To experience that in the [UAE] is truly unparalleled.”

Abu Dhabi recognizes the severe changes in climate it has experienced over the past years, and has consequently developed interventions so as to tackle these changes. In 2016, the Masdar Institute of Science and Technology announced the launch of a real-time dust forecasting system that provides accurate dust information for the Gulf region and parts of Iran and North Africa. Experts say that the advanced dust forecasting system will help inform government officials and residents about anticipated dust storms, thereby enabling the UAE to take adequate steps to prepare.

Dust storms are expected to increase with global climate change. However, the UAE government claims they are on top of this problem by actively seeking out ecologically sustainable solutions for everyday life and getting involved in climate change dialogues around the world. Besides the world-famous sustainable eco-city, Masdar City, the UAE is planning for an eco-friendly city in the shape of a flower called Desert Rose City to be built in the Dubai desert. The country also hosted the Ecocity World Summit in 2015.