A weather station in southern Iran has reported a heat index of 82.2°C (180°F) and a dew point of 36.1°C (97°F), which, if confirmed, would be the highest such readings ever recorded on Earth, meteorologists said on August 28.

The extreme readings were reported at an airport weather station, with an air temperature of 38.9°C (102°F) and 85% relative humidity producing the unprecedented heat index value.

Colin McCarthy, a US-based meteorologist, said on social media that an official investigation would be needed to verify the accuracy of the data. He expressed some scepticism, noting that other weather stations in the region were reporting much lower dew points, mostly in the low 30s Celsius.

However, McCarthy confirmed that a historic heatwave is occurring across much of the Middle East. A weather station in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia – it currently holds the world record dew point of 35°C (95°F) – has recorded a dew point as high as 33.9°C (93°F) in recent days.

The heat index, also known as the "feels like" temperature, combines air temperature and humidity to estimate how hot it actually feels to the human body.

If verified, these readings would surpass previous records and underscore the extreme heat conditions affecting the region. Climate scientists have warned that such extreme heat events are likely to become more frequent and intense due to global warming.

Iran's Meteorological Organisation expects a gradual increase in temperatures starting on August 31, but the intensity will not match the recent extreme heat, a weather expert said on Thursday, 28 August.

Kobra Rafiei, a meteorologist at the organisation, told Mehr News Agency that while temperatures will rise, "we will not experience a heat wave as intense as in previous days," despite the US-based report suggesting the south is hitting new records.

Rafiei said the cooler temperatures would persist until Friday in most parts of the country.

For the next five days, strong winds are expected in northeastern, eastern, southeastern, central, northwestern and southwestern regions, as well as the southern slopes of the Alborz mountains. This could lead to dust storms and reduced air quality in some areas.

The capital Tehran is expected to see partly cloudy skies on Thursday with a chance of afternoon showers and thunderstorms. Temperatures in Tehran are forecast to range between 24°C and 34°C (75°F to 93°F) on Thursday, and 24°C to 33°C on Friday.

Rafiei also noted that parts of Sistan and Baluchestan province in southern Iran would experience rain showers and strong winds over the Iranian weekend of August 29.

This forecast follows a period of intense heat across much of the Middle East, with some areas reportedly experiencing extreme heat indices.

Climate scientists have warned that such extreme heat events are likely to become more frequent and intense due to global warming.

Authorities in Iran and neighbouring countries have issued heat warnings and urged residents to take precautions against heat-related illnesses.

In recent weeks across the region the Middle East is grappling with a heatwave of unprecedented intensity as temperatures in Iraq and Iran have soared to nearly 50°C (122°F).

The heat has caused a series of electricity failures across the region as people prepare to make the most significant movement for the annual Arba'een pilgrimage in Iraq.

Arba’een, which brings about one of the largest religious gatherings in the world – and is sometimes dubbed the biggest movement of men, women and children on the planet – comes 40 days after Ashura, the martyrdom anniversary of the grandson of the Prophet Mohammad and the third Shia Imam Hussein.

Seen as a more accessible and affordable way of showing piety than the annual Hajj to Saudi Arabia, which is strictly limited by the setting of a maximum number of places for each country, Arba’een has become increasingly popular with Shi’ite Iranians, Afghans and Pakistanis, who visit the shrines of their saints in neighbouring Iraq, where they gather in the holy city of Karbala, 100 kilometres southwest of Baghdad.