In the UAE, winter is officially over this month - but summer is not yet here, even though temperatures are now reaching 30 degrees. A top NCM official says we are currently in between cold and hot weather, which is spring. And during this weather transition, rain can be expected.
It rained and clouded over the country on Tuesday, and some parts of Dubai and Sharjah even saw hail. "There are big differences happening in the temperature systems. We are standing exactly between the winter and summer seasons and that’s why we are experiencing the change in weather conditions these days,” says Esraa Al Anqbi, a weather forecaster at the National Center of Meteorology (NCM).
The low pressure in the upper air and on the surface enhances the chances of clouds forming, she said.
In the early days of Ramadan, Al Anqbi expects rain in the country.
Most days during Ramadan will be mild in most areas during the first half, and temperatures may rise in the second.
We are expecting rain on March 26...and the rain will continue until March 28. It will start from the west. Subsequently, we’ll see a rise in temperature,” added Al Anqbi.
How soon will the hot weather arrive?
A minimum temperature of 23 to 25 degrees Celsius is expected, with a maximum temperature between 35 and 38 degrees Celsius. "Chances of fog and mist formation during this period are very high,” says the official of the Met department.
During this season, the winds are generally moderate. The country is mostly affected by sea and land breezes. We have fresh north-westerly winds only at times. The average speed of the wind is between 26 to 31km/hr. The country also experiences the passage of low pressure from the West from the upper air as well as from the surface. This leads to increased amounts of rainfall during this season. The average amount of rainfall across the country is 7.2mm,” she says.
The highest maximum temperature over some internal areas will reach approximately 46 degrees Celsius by afternoon, according to climate statistics for this month.
The mean minimum temperature range will be between 20 and 22 degrees, with the lowest minimum temperature registering at 4 degrees over some mountainous or internal areas in the early morning.
Especially in the second half of the month, the Siberian high-pressure system gradually weakens.
There will be a passing low-pressure trough in the region, accompanied by a deep upper air, low-pressure trough, which will increase the chance of rainy clouds.
The long-term forecast for April indicates fewer rains than average, since the average rainfall over the country this month was 7.4 mm. The highest amount of rainfall recorded during the month was 247.4 mm in Wadi Sheha in 2019.
During this period, relative humidity will decrease slightly, especially during the last quarter, although fog and mist formation will still be possible in the morning.
At night and early in the morning, the mean maximum relative humidity will range from 62 to 78 percent, while the mean minimum relative humidity will range from 18 to 28 percent.