Is it a good time to be outside? And if not, when will it be?
Barrah answers that question for the Gulf.
It evaluates every hour of the week based on heat, dust and sun — taking into account what you’re planning to do — and shows you the best times to head outside.
THE OUTSIDE INDEX
One simple score from 0 to 100 tells you how suitable the conditions are for the rest of today.
Every hour starts at 100, then loses points as heat stress rises beyond your comfort level, dust increases in the air, or UV becomes more intense.
Each score is paired with a clear rating, from Excellent to Extreme, using the same colours throughout the app so you can understand conditions at a glance.
HEAT AS YOUR BODY FEELS IT
Air temperature alone doesn’t tell the whole story.
Barrah estimates WBGT (Wet Bulb Globe Temperature) using temperature, humidity, wind and sunlight, with separate conditions for sun and shade.
That’s why a humid 34°C day can sometimes place more heat stress on the body than a dry 40°C day.
DUST — BEFORE IT ARRIVES
Barrah tracks PM10 and visibility using data from the Copernicus CAMS model, highlighting expected dusty days throughout the week.
When a dust spike is forecast, Barrah can notify you at least six hours in advance. Alerts are scheduled directly on your phone from the forecast — no intermediary server required.
THE WINDOW GUIDE
Your day is divided into six easy-to-read periods, from Dawn to Night, each with its own hours and rating.
Tap any period to see conditions hour by hour.
The rest of today comes first, followed by tomorrow and then the rest of the week — making it easy to find your next good window to head outside.
WHO’S GOING OUT?
The same weather can mean a very different day for a runner, a child or an older adult.
Barrah includes six profiles:
• General
• Runner
• Kids
• Elderly
• Dog
• Outdoor Worker
Each profile has its own thresholds, so conditions are evaluated according to who will actually be outside. Switch profiles with a single tap.
The Outdoor Worker profile also includes statutory midday work-ban hours for each Gulf state.
16 PLANS. ONE FORECAST.
Tell Barrah what you want to do, and it evaluates the forecast based on the hours and conditions that matter for that activity.
Choose from:
Swimming, beach, boating, dhow cruise, kites, camping, desert safari, hiking, cycling, golf, football, picnics, stargazing, Friday prayer, iftar and National Day.
Each plan considers its own relevant factors and can show nearby places for that activity using Apple Maps.
Camping, for example, considers nighttime conditions and the stars. Friday prayer tells you whether conditions are suitable for the courtyard, shade only, or whether indoors would be more appropriate.
AND MORE
• Save up to five cities alongside your current location
• Lock Screen and Home Screen widgets show your next good window
• An in-app guide explains every score, rating and colour
• Full Arabic and English support, switchable directly within the app
• Works offline after the week’s forecast has been downloaded
PRIVACY, BY DESIGN
No account. No tracking. No advertising.
Your location leaves your device only as coordinates rounded to approximately one kilometre when requesting a forecast.
Delete Barrah, and its locally stored data is deleted with it.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Barrah is a planning tool designed to help you make more informed decisions about outdoor activities. It is not a medical device and should not be used as a record of regulatory compliance.
WBGT values are estimates calculated from forecast data and are not measurements taken at your location.
Weather data is provided by Open-Meteo. Air-quality and dust data is provided by Copernicus CAMS.
