March 18, 2003	Tuesday	Muharram 14, 1424

KUWAIT CITY, March 17: With war in Iraq a matter of when, not if, desert temperatures are rising and fresh sandstorms may be on the way.

As a precaution, Britain’s amphibious task force moved marines onshore in Kuwait on Monday — to avoid any disruption to their preparations.

“We are expecting some bad weather, so this keeps all my options open,” Commodore Jamie Miller, commander of the task force, said on the British flagship Ark Royal.

Correspondents with ground forces in Kuwait spoke of a perceptible pick-up in military activity on their side of the Iraqi border as the United States and Britain called time on diplomatic efforts to defuse the crisis.

The correspondents said a sandstorm predicted for Sunday night did not materialize.

The last storm whipped Kuwait on Thursday, coating US and British troops in choking dust in a timely reminder that desert winds might hamper any assault on Iraq.

Monday was sunny and hot with temperatures topping 30 degrees Celsius.

The AccuWeather Web site predicted similar highs on Tuesday and Wednesday, rising to 33 degrees C on Saturday.

WINDS, DUSTSTORMS: The Kuwait International Airport Web site forecast temperatures in the mid-20s Celsius for the second half of this week, but said winds could turn northwesterly from Tuesday, rising to over 40kph on Wednesday with dust storms on Thursday.

Dust storms are common in Kuwait until April, when blazing summer heat takes over.

Last Thursday’s storm cut visibility to almost zero and left many soldiers complaining of sore eyes and throats. Abrasive sand clogs equipment from weapons to computers and helicopter engines.

The swirling wind, which abated after lashing tent camps across northern Kuwait for about five hours overnight, tested morale for about 250,000 US and British troops in the region.

“I didn’t get a moment’s sleep. I was just thinking of going home and can’t wait to see trees, grass and my girlfriend,” said US private Brian Guenette, 21, from Worcester, Massachussetts.

It was the second bout of fierce weather in the Gulf state in a week. Four US soldiers died in a helicopter crash in Kuwait last month in which high winds were a factor. —Reuters