UAE weather: temperatures in single digits in many areas

Water froze on Jebel Jais with the mercury sinking to 1.9°C

A security guard wraps up at a racing event in Dubai on January 28. Temperatures have dropped to single digits in the mornings and evenings. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Hoodies and sweaters have been in demand in the city's shopping malls. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Late January and early February are the coolest and wettest months in the UAE. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Dubai woke to a chilly morning on Sunday, with the temperature hovering around 10°C. Pawan Singh / The National

Recent downpours have led to green shoots of vegetation in the arid desert of Mleiha, Sharjah. Pawan Singh / The National

Sharjah's normally dusty desert looks a little greener after recent rains. Pawan Singh / The National

The UAE woke to chilly conditions on Sunday, with temperatures in the single digits in many areas.

In Dubai and the Northern Emirates, the mercury was below 10ºC — rare in urban areas — with similar conditions in Abu Dhabi.

The National Centre of Meteorology said the lowest temperature recorded across the UAE overnight was 1.9°C on Jebel Jais at 4:15am.

It was so cold that water on Jebel Jais froze. Storm Centre, a UAE group that tracks extreme weather, posted video of layers of ice that formed on standing water.

The next few weeks are likely to be the coldest of the year, and follow heavy downpours in Dubai and the north last week.

January and February are the wettest months of the year, with several days of rain in each month common, followed by temperatures rising in late February and early March.

Ramadan, which begins in March this year, is likely to be the coolest holy month in the Gulf for close to 20 years.

It is not uncommon for the UAE to experience bouts of freezing weather.

Jebel Jais, for example, was covered in snow in 2020, while the mercury regularly falls below freezing in other parts of the country.

In 2021, the NCM recorded an official temperature of -2°C in Raknah Al Ain.

The National reported that residents had to scrape ice from cars and icicles could be seen hanging from trees and plants that year. Hobbyist weather enthusiasts from Storm Centre, a UAE group that tracks the country's weather, said it had even recorded unofficial temperatures as low as -7°C in Raknah.

Meanwhile, the NCM forecast lows of 3ºC on Sunday in rural and mountainous locations, with highs of 22ºC anticipated in the hottest part of the day, with cool winds throughout. The seas are very rough and swimmers are warned to take care.

It also warned of a chance of fog across the UAE for the start of this week.

In its five-day bulletin, forecasters said the fog and mist could persist into Wednesday morning.