UAE Summer Heat Hits 50.1°C
The UAE recorded its highest temperature of the summer so far on Tuesday, with the mercury touching 50.1°C in Owtaid, in Abu Dhabi’s Al Dhafra region, at 2:15pm local time, according to the National Centre of Meteorology (NCM). Residents in inland areas endured near-record heat, while much of the country saw a very different kind of weather unfold through the afternoon and evening, with storm trackers reporting a run of rainfall across several emirates.
Thunderstorms and heavy rain hit parts of Sharjah, Ras Al Khaimah, and Fujairah, with showers described as “good rain” falling over the capital, Abu Dhabi, as well as Al Madam and Faili in Sharjah, Al Manama and Al Haniyah south of Ras Al Khaimah, and Thoban in Fujairah. The contrast captures a pattern that has defined much of this week: scorching daytime highs in the western desert paired with convective, often thundery showers over the east, south, and central parts of the country.
The National Centre of Meteorology’s temperature map for Tuesday showed a wide spread, from a low of around 32.5°C in the northern mountains to the 50°C-plus readings recorded in the interior. With Jamrat Al Qayth, the traditional peak of summer heat, continuing through mid-August, residents should expect this pattern to persist for now: intense afternoon heat in the desert interior, interrupted by spells of rain and thunderstorms elsewhere in the country.
This weather pattern is similar to the one experienced in previous years during the Jamrat Al Qayth period, which typically sees a mix of extreme heat and occasional rain showers across the UAE.
