Saudi Arabia just reached its highest-ever temperature

It's really heating up in the Arab Gulf, and in some parts of the Saudi kingdom, the temperature has reached an all-time high. 

Arab News reports that central and eastern parts of the kingdom have witnessed record-breaking temperatures, reaching 53 degrees Celsius for the first time in these areas. 

Surpassing 50 degrees is quite rare. According to Al-Arabiya, astronomer Khalid al-Zaaq said that 53 degrees is the highest temperature recorded in the entire Saudi kingdom in the past 45 years. 

"Life does not stop when temperatures increase in Saudi Arabia while in some countries [it does]," said al-Zaaq. 

The astronomer noted that the temperature is most intensely felt in Madina, as there is a difference between felt temperatures - also known as apparent temperatures - and temperatures recorded by devices.

"When the recorded temperature is 45 degrees, the feel-like temperature is much higher because there is the volcanic Harrat Rahat which preserves temperature and mountains that block wind," Zaaq explained.

Al-Zaaq added that the first week of July marked the beginning of the scorching heat of the summer, which is expected to last for 52 days.

Based on Guinness World Records, the official highest temperature ever recorded on Earth is 56.7 degrees, measured in California in 1913.

In response to the extreme heat, the Presidency of Meteorology and Environment (PME) has been issuing daily warnings about prolonged exposure to the sun. This as the Ministry of Labor and Social Development has banned working under the sun from noon until 3 p.m. between June 15 and Sept. 15. 

The ministry's inspection teams have been closely monitoring companies to detect violations of the ban.

The entire region is affected by the scorching heat, especially the world's hottest areas like South Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, and Algeria.

The United Arab Emirates is headed for a sweltering weekend, with temperatures expected to surpass 50 degrees.

In Kuwait, temperatures hit well over 40 degrees, reaching 49 degrees Celsius earlier this week.

The temperature in some parts of Iraq has even reached the high 40s.

According to a 2016 NASA-led study, hot weather extremes brought on by global climate change puts the Middle East and North Africa in >danger of becoming uninhabitable by the end of the current century.

"A fan in this [hot] weather is as useless as the phrase 'it's okay'."