The UAE is officially feeling the heat, quite literally. The country witnessed one of its hottest days in recent times when Sweihan in Al Ain scorched its way into the record books, clocking in at a blistering 51.8°C on the first day of this month, making it the hottest August day in the past nine years, according to the National Centre of Meteorology (NCM).
This new high overtakes the previous August temperature record of 51.4°C, set in Mezaira back in 2017, a sign of rising temperatures across the region.
So, what’s going on with the weather?
August is typically one of the UAE’s hottest months, and this year is no exception. The intense heat is being fuelled by thermal low-pressure systems as the Indian monsoons play a major role in pushing up temperatures across the country.
And if you’ve noticed some unexpected thunderstorms in some parts of the country lately? That’s partly due to the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ), a band near the equator that stirs up convective rainy clouds and brings bursts of unstable weather during the first half of August.
Breezy, but boiling
Wind patterns add their twist to the mix. During this period, you’ll often feel the breeze blowing across in the evenings and early mornings. Occasionally, residents may also experience blowing dust, as northwesterly winds as capable of kicking up suspended dust in exposed areas.
Humidity-wise, things are sticky too. The mean relative humidity for August is 47 per cent, with sultry mornings and evenings. Maximum humidity can reach between 63 and 80 per cent, while the minimum can hover around 17 to 32 per cent, which explains those sweaty sunrise walks and steamy evening commutes.
A look at the numbers
Here’s a quick snapshot of August weather stats, according to the NCM:
- Average air temperature: 34.7°C to 36.5°C
- Average maximum temperature: 40.9°C to 43.2°C
- Average minimum temperature: 29.3°C to 31°C
Third-warmest July globally
Last month was Earth’s third-warmest July since records began and included a record national temperature in Turkey of 50.5 degrees Celsius, scientists said. According to the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S), the average global surface air temperature reached 16.68 C in July, which is 0.45 C above the 1991-2020 average for the month.
