UAE Climatic Zones: Knowledge Portal to Dubai’s Weather

Discover historical and forecast UAE climatic zones, climate data by industry, impacts, significant vulnerabilities, and what adaption strategies are being implemented. Explore the overview to gain a general understanding of how climate zone change affects the United Arab Emirates.

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UAE Climatic Zones

There is high-level information about the United Arab Emirates’ climate zones and seasonal cycle for mean temperature and precipitation from 1991 to 2020. The UAE climatic zone classifications are based on the Köppen-Geiger climate classification system, which divides climates into five primary climate zones based on seasonal precipitation and temperature trends. The five significant zones are tropical (A), dry (B), temperate (C), continental (D), and polar (E). All climates except for the E group are assigned to a seasonal precipitation sub-group (second letter).

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is located on the Arabian Peninsula, between latitudes 22.0° and 26.5°N and longitudes 51.0° and 56.5°E. The UAE has a total land area of 83,600 km2 and 1,318 kilometres of coastline that runs from the southeastern part of the Persian Gulf, also known as the Arabian Gulf, to the western borders of the Gulf of Oman.

The UAE has a population of around 9.9 million people (2020), with immigrants accounting for more than 85%. Crude oil extraction, construction, trade, and real estate services contribute to the country’s economic growth.

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UAE Climate Change

Rising sea levels threaten the UAE’s essential infrastructure, such as desalination and power plants, and habitats in the Persian Gulf or the Gulf of Oman. Climate change is also projected to impact the UAE’s agriculture industry, including changes in climatic conditions such as temperature and precipitation levels.

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UAE Current Climate

According to Climatology, The UAE has an arid desert environment with two distinct seasons, winter and summer, separated by two transitional periods. The winter season (December to March) has an average temperature ranging from 16.4°C to 24°C. The first transitional period (April–May) is defined by weather variability and quick change.

Temperatures begin to rise steadily over most locations during this time. The average temperature during this season fluctuates between 26°C to 33.5°C. The summer season (June to September) is distinguished by unusually high temperatures, reaching 50°C in the southern regions. The average temperature during this season fluctuates between 32°C and 37.2°C.

Summer rainfall is often lower, especially at the coast and away from mountains. The second transitional phase (October-November) has an average temperature of 24°C to 30°C. The UAE experiences scarce and variable rainfall. The country receives an average of 140 to 200 millimetres of rainfall yearly, with some mountainous parts receiving up to 350 mm. The UAE also has intense dust storms, known locally as shamal winds.

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Climate Facts in the UAE

The UAE has a desert climate with hot and dry weather. Because of its location on the Arabian Peninsula, the country has sweltering summers with average temperatures ranging from 35 to 45 degrees Celsius. The Persian Gulf impacts coastal areas like Dubai and Abu Dhabi, resulting in higher humidity and fresher winds.

Winters are generally moderate and pleasant, with temperatures ranging from 15°C to 25°C. During this time of year, inland nights are much more remarkable. The majority of the Arab Emirates receives minimal rainfall. The yearly rainfall is less than 100 mm, and the summers from May to October are nearly rainless. It barely rains sporadically between December and March. Sandstorms are common in the Arab Emirates throughout the summer when strong winds transport desert sand across the region.

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Climatic Zones in the United Arab Emirates

Here is detailed climate zone data, including all values for each year:

Average Temperature in UAE

From 1983 to February 2023, Abu Dhabi’s weather station recorded the highest temperature. In July 2020, a temperature of 48.0 °C was recorded here. The hottest meteorological summer from June to August, according to all four weather stations in the United Arab Emirates, occurred in 2021, with an average temperature of 36.6 °C. This average temperature is usually measured every four to six hours, which includes the night. Typically, this temperature is 34.9 degrees Celsius. The average highest daily temperature at the time was 42.7 °C.

The Sharjah weather station reported the coldest day in the past 40 years. In February 2008, the temperature here plummeted to 4.5 degrees Celsius. Sharjah is situated at an elevation of 33 meters above sea level. The coldest winter (December to February) occurred in 1992, with an average temperature of 18.1 degrees Celsius. In the United Arab Emirates, the average temperature for these three months is roughly 3.0 degrees higher, at 21.1 degrees Celsius. The most precipitation occurred in February 1988. With 5.4 mm per day, the Abu Dhabi Bateen weather station recorded the highest monthly average in the last 40 years.

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Causes of Climate Change in UAE

The data from the individual measurement stations are based on the German Weather Service archives, with independent values averaged and supplemented by their components. To estimate the UAE’s presentative national average, average values were determined for each region and then summed at the national level. Thus, if many weather stations are concentrated in a limited location, their presence does not affect the national average. There are four stations in the UAE alone. In four cases, adjacent weather stations were used to obtain more accurate results.

Temperature increases and weather extremes on individual continents from 1953 to 2022 compared to the multi-year average. The UAE is the most popular travel destination in a list of international tourism of 60 countries. The United States ranks sixth regarding eruptions and effects from Italy’s four most active volcanoes.

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The United Arab Emirates Coastal Zones

Climate change impacts the United Arab Emirates coastal zones, water resources, dry land ecosystems, agricultural productivity, human settlements, public health, and energy infrastructure. In the First National Communication for the United Arab Emirates on January 2, 2007, numerous adaption methods were identified to address these risks. These include water-saving techniques, agricultural shifts, and afforestation.

The UAE is located on the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia, between latitudes 22.0 and 26.5 N and 51 and 56.5 E. It is a federation of seven Emirates: Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Umm al-Quwain, Ajman, Ras Al Khaimah, and Fujairah, with an area of around 83,600 square kilometres. It is separated into three major natural zones: coastal, mountainous, and desert. The Hajar Mountain range lies in the country’s northeast; the centre region comprises desert and scattered oases and plains with groundwater supplies that may be found around the Gulf of Oman.

The United Arab Emirates has an arid climate, with arid, hot, and humid summers from April to September and generally warm and dry winters from October to March. The majority of the rain falls during the winter months. The ocean influences the climate due to its proximity to the Arabian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. Severe dust storms sweep throughout the majority of the country. The most important natural resource in the United Arab Emirates is oil reserves.

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Seasons in UAE Months

Winter from December to February is relatively mild or pleasantly warm, with maximum temperatures ranging from 24 °C to 26 °C (76 °F to 80 °F). Sometimes, especially in January, cool air masses from the north can provide calm and windy days, with temperatures dropping to around 10/12 °C (50/54°F) at night and 16/18 °C (61/64 °F) during the day.

Summer is hot and bright, with daytime temperatures ranging from 38 °C to 42 °C (101 °F to 108°F) between May and September, while the breeze from the Persian Gulf brings moist air from the sea, exacerbating the heat. April and October are also hot, with high temperatures of 33/36 °C (92/96 °F). On the hottest days, temperatures can reach 48/49 °C (118/120 °F) at the shore and much higher in the interior. Fortunately, the buildings are air-conditioned. Strong winds can cause dust and sandstorms in the United Arab Emirates at any time of year, especially in spring.

The daily average temperature of Abu Dhabi, the capital, fluctuates from 19 degrees Celsius (66 °F) in January (so we are at the boundary between the subtropical and tropical climates) to roughly 37 °C (98.5 °F) in August. The average annual rainfall is only 55 millimetres (2.1 inches), mainly between December and March. Precipitation in Dubai, which is still on the shore but farther north, averages 95 mm (3.7 in) annually.

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United Arab Emirates climate: Average Weather, Sea temperature

In the Emirates, the sun shines all year round. However, cloud banks may occasionally travel over the country in winter and summer. Here are Abu Dhabi’s average sunshine hours per day. The sea in the Emirates is warm enough to swim all year, with temperatures dropping to 23 °C (73 °F) from January to March. Summers are hot, with temperatures topping 30 °C (86 °F) from June to October, allowing longer swimming. The winter sea temperature in the Gulf of Oman is slightly higher than in the Persian Gulf.

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Tropical Cyclones in the UAE

can occasionally reach the United Arab Emirates, bringing severe winds and heavy rainfall, as Cyclone Gonu did in early June 2007, but this occurs less frequently than in nearby Oman. The northern territory, particularly the emirate of Fujairah, which overlooks the shore of the Gulf of Oman, is the most vulnerable; inland and western locations, on the other hand, are normally safe. Cyclones form from May to December, with the frequency being higher at the beginning (May to June) and lower at the end (October to December).

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Tourism in the United Arab Emirates

The United Arab Emirates is largely desert. As a result, the entire year sees little rainfall. The winter brings little precipitation. During the summer, there is frequently no precipitation for months. The wettest months are February and March. Usually, rain evaporates before reaching the ground. The shamal, a northwesterly wind that delivers large amounts of sand, blows during the winter and early summer months. The coastal districts are extremely humid from May to October, with humidity levels reaching 90%. In midsummer, daytime temperatures can reach well over 40 degrees.

Even at night, except for arid areas, the thermometer rarely drops below 25 degrees. The typical daytime temperature is 28-34 degrees. In the late summer months, the Sharqi, a southeasterly breeze, provides an uncomfortably hot temperature along the coast. From November to April, daily maximum temperatures range between 22 and 30 degrees. Except for when the Shamal blows, the weather is sunny and blue virtually all year.

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UAE Climatic Zones have a subtropical to tropical climate with very little annual precipitation. Even in winter, average daytime temperatures rarely fall below 20 degrees Celsius. The Great Arabian Desert foothills occupy over two-thirds of the United Arab Emirates’ land. As a result, the inland area experiences a desert environment.