Summer temperatures in the UAE are expected to be higher than in previous years, according to a veteran meteorologist at the National Centre of Meteorology (NCM), who said actual readings will still depend on prevailing regional weather systems.
Speaking to Khaleej Times on Tuesday (June 2), NCM weather expert Dr Ahmed Habib said residents are already experiencing early summer conditions as the country transitions into peak heat earlier than usual.
He noted that the shift is linked to broader regional climate patterns, including the ongoing El Niño phenomenon, which typically contributes to higher temperatures across the region. “If hot air masses move over the UAE, temperatures will rise further,” he said.
Habib added that current temperature trends, reaching up to 47°C–48°C in some areas, indicate that summer conditions have effectively begun ahead of schedule, even though the official season starts on June 21.
He also pointed to the influence of the Indian monsoon system, which is driving a thermal low and pushing hot air towards the UAE, intensifying daytime heat.
Despite the rising temperatures, dry northwesterly winds are limiting cloud formation and keeping rainfall unlikely in the short term. “There are no signs of rainfall over the UAE this week or next week,” he said.
However, he noted that the main summer rainfall window typically occurs between mid-July and mid-August, when shifting atmospheric conditions can trigger convective cloud formation in eastern and mountainous regions.