UAE Desert Climate; Guide to Emirates Climate Change and Weather in the United Arab Emirates

UAE Desert Climate is known for its harsh and dry conditions, with extreme temperatures and little rainfall. Understanding the weather patterns and challenges desert heat poses is critical to adapt and thrive in such conditions. Residents of the UAE can overcome the challenges posed by the desert environment by taking necessary precautions and implementing innovative solutions.

UAE desert climate

Summers in the UAE are hot and humid, with average temperatures ranging between 35 and 45 degrees Celsius. The Persian Gulf impacts coastal areas such as Dubai and Abu Dhabi, resulting in slightly higher humidity and stronger winds. Winters are generally mild and pleasant, with temperatures ranging from 15 to 25 degrees Celsius. During this time of year, the nights in the interior are significantly cooler.

Most of the Arab Emirates receives slight rainfall. The annual rainfall is less than 100mm, and the summers from May to October are almost arid. Only from December to March does it rain on occasion. Sandstorms are common in the Arab Emirates during the summer when strong winds can transport desert sand across the region.

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Desert Climate & Temperature Records

The Abu Dhabi weather station reported the hottest temperature from 1983 to February 2023 in temperature records dating back 40 years. A temperature of 48.0 °C was recorded here in July 2020. The hottest summer ever Based on all four weather stations in the United Arab Emirates, an average temperature of 36.6 °C was recorded 2021 from July to September. This average temperature is typically measured every four to six hours, including nights. This temperature is usually 34.9 degrees Celsius. At the time, the average maximum daily temperature was 42.7 °C.

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The Habitat Desert Climate Nature

The Arabian Desert is both beautiful and mysterious when viewed through the lens of the UAE desert climate as we know it. Because of the extreme heat and scarcity of food and water, the desert is a harsh environment for people, animals, and plants. Despite the harsh environment, Emirati forefathers, the Bedouin (nomadic desert people who moved from place to place across North Africa to the Middle East in search of grazing areas), survived, making them among the most resilient people on the planet.

The desert landscape of the United Arab Emirates, once traversed by Bedouins, consists of plains, sand sheets, dunes, sabkhas, burqas, and mesas. Burqas and mesas are the local names for rocky outcrops and small jebels (mountains) found in the western region, which have long been protected following the late Sheikh Zayed’s verbal request. They have distinct topographic features, serve critical ecological functions such as nesting and denning habitats for birds and bats, and have cultural significance.

Read more: UAE Coastal Climate

Threats to UAE Desert Biodiversity

Due to the desert dry conditions, desert soils take a long time to recover from environmental disturbances. As a result, desert landscapes are particularly vulnerable to human activities such as:

Desert Climate change

Water holes are drying up due to decreased rainfall and increased drought.

Unsustainable extraction of groundwater

Water is a valuable resource in deserts; many people store it underground (aquifer). The majority of this water is extracted for agricultural purposes. Over-extraction is a risk in these stores.

Loss and destruction of habitat

Overgrazing livestock and constructing housing, commercial establishments, and other infrastructure.

Entertainment activities

Off-roading, dune-bashing, and camping can all cause habitat degradation and disturbances due to landscape alteration, noise pollution, and litter. Litter can end up in the stomachs of camels or gazelles, causing fatalities. It is critical for the community to contribute to environmental protection and biodiversity conservation.

Take a look at: UAE Islands and Archipelagos

UAE Desert Climate Weather

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has a desert climate with mild winters and hot, sunny summers, with the humidity of the Persian Gulf making the heat unbearable. Annual precipitation is almost everywhere, less than 100 millimetres (4 inches) and is most remarkable in winter. Rains are uncommon but occur in showers or downpours, which can sometimes be intense.

The country is divided into seven emirates, almost all of which overlook the Persian Gulf (Abu Dhabi, Ajman, Dubai, Ras al-Khaimah, Sharjah, and Umm al-Quwain) and one of which overlooks the Gulf of Oman (Abu Dhabi, Ajman, Dubai, Ras al-Khaimah, Sharjah, and Umm al-Quwain) (Fujairah). Abu Dhabi is the largest emirate, including the capital, but Dubai is the most well-known for its futuristic architecture and modern tourist resorts.

In the northeast, in the Al Hajar Mountains that separate the Persian Gulf coast from the Gulf of Oman, the climate remains desert, though it rains slightly more frequently than at sea level during winter. Temperatures do not drop significantly compared to the plain, except in areas above 1,000 meters (3,300 feet), where it can get cold in winter and hot in summer.

The vast sand desert known as Rub al-Khali occupies the country’s south, in the emirate of Abu Dhabi, and is almost uninhabited except in Oases such as Liwa and near oil and gas extraction facilities. The climate is similar to that of the coast, and it gets even hotter in the summer, but the air is dryer due to the greater distance from the sea.

Read more: Impact of Global Warming on UAE

Liwa Desert Climate Weather Guide

If you plan a trip to the Liwa desert, you should know the local climate. The weather in Liwa can range from cool evenings to scorching heat days, making the experience pleasant or unpleasant. The Liwa experience should also be considered, as weather can significantly impact its success or failure.

The Liwa Desert. Temperatures in Liwa can reach unbearable levels from June to September, forcing residents to stay indoors. In contrast, December through March can provide ideal weather for exploring Liwa’s desert on an excursion.

Read more: Climate change in UAE

Temperature Average in Liwa Desert

Because the two main seasons, summer and winter, are separated by two transition periods, Liwa weather is frequently described as an arid desert climate. Temperatures typically range from 16.4 inches Celsius to 24 degrees Celsius from December to March, with sudden weather shifts becoming common between April and May; during this transitional period, many regions’ temperatures rise, typically from 26 to 33.5 degrees Celsius.

During the summer months (June to September), temperatures in some northern and southern regions of the country can reach 50 degrees Celsius; other locations typically range between 32.2 and 37.2. Temperatures range from 24 to 30 degrees Celsius during the transitional period between October and November.

The Liwa Desert Ecosystem

Climate variables exist in the Liwa Desert Ecosystem, with the average temperature month in the United Arab Emirates typically ranging between 15 and 41 degrees Celsius. On the other hand, temperatures in its desert usually range from 13 to 45 degrees Celsius. Annual temperatures in the UAE average 32 degrees Celsius. Due to the higher average temperatures and temperatures of the desert environment, desert areas in the UAE can expect their average temperature to be closer to 38 degrees Celsius.

Take a look at: UAE Oasis Locations

Average Annual Rainfall of UAE

It is no secret that the United Arab Emirates receives only a tiny amount of rainfall each year, limiting rainfall in the UAE’s arid regions. According to our findings, rainfall is most likely in December, February, and March. The figures represent average monthly precipitation amounts, with 0.25 centimetres representing the annual average.

Due to low levels of evaporated water and their distance from rainwater sources, deserts typically receive little precipitation. Clouds travelling a long distance may lose water along the way and fail to reach deserts, reducing the likelihood of rainfall. There is average sunlight in the United Arab Emirates, with June having the most daylight hours per month, 13:40 hours, and December having the least.

Read more: UAE Sand Dunes

Desert Climate in Dubai

In the late afternoons, you might expect the Dubai desert to be hotter than the city, but this is not true. Many people are unaware that not only is it possible to travel to Dubai during the summer but that in the late afternoons, the desert is more relaxed than the city. The temperature in the desert begins to drop rapidly about two hours before the Arabian sunsets. It can even be 7 to 10 degrees cooler than the city or the coast. The primary reason for this is the sand.

Because there isn’t much moisture in the sand, the desert cools quickly in the late afternoons and early evenings. As a result, exploring the desert late in the afternoon during the summer is one of the best things to do in Dubai. Bedouins, nomadic natives who lived in desert regions, adapted to the desert climate accordingly; traditionally, their desert camps were built on dunes to catch the late afternoon breeze. The tents are purpose-built to allow air to circulate, keeping them cool. Animal hair is also commonly used to insulate tents, keeping them more incredible during the day.

Dubai Desert Safari

Tourists prefer to visit Dubai during the winter when the weather is more relaxed, but with the correct information and planning, the summer can be an excellent time to visit. You can explore the desert in luxury air-conditioned Range Rovers or feel the breeze on your face in open-air vintage Land Rovers while in Dubai. Visit an authentic Bedouin camp in the Dubai desert to spend a relaxing evening under the Arabian starry night sky in excellent and comfortable traditional Majilis. This is an opportunity to immerse yourself in the rich culture and see the real Dubai.

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UAE Desert Climate has the most profound and far-reaching impact on cultural history and social activity and significantly impacts the economy. The desert is a source of water, natural wealth, and a breeding ground for pasture and medicinal plants. It is the source of home, life, identity and future. It is a vibrantly alive desert.