UAE records lowest temperature of 18.6ºC as autumn sets in

Cooler mornings are beginning to make an appearance across the UAE, with temperatures dipping below 20°C in parts of the country as autumn settles in.

The lowest temperature recorded across the UAE on Monday, September 28, was 18.6°C in Raknah, Al Ain, at 6am, according to the National Centre of Meteorology.

The dip comes as residents begin to feel the first signs of the seasonal shift. Astronomically, summer officially ended on September 23 with the autumnal equinox, marking the start of a gradual transition towards cooler conditions.

The UAE had already recorded a similar drop earlier this month, when temperatures fell to 18.8°C on September 18, just days before the equinox.

As autumn progresses, temperatures are expected to continue easing, although the change will be gradual.

At the beginning of the season, average temperatures will reach up to 39°C and will drop to 26°C. In the middle of the season, around early November, the mercury will see highs of 31°C and low of 18°C. At the end of the season, temperatures will rise to just 25°C and dip to a chilly 13°C, coinciding with the winter solstice on December 22.

The changing temperatures will also bring another familiar feature of the UAE’s cooler months — an increased chance of early morning fog, especially during the first half of autumn. Humidity is also set to increase during this period.

For residents in the UAE, the gradual drop in the temperature means winter is now on its way, although the autumn will still begin with plenty of warmth before the noticeably cooler days arrive.

As the UAE moves into its cooler and wetter season, residents could witness above-average rainfall in the coming months, from October through January, Ahmed Habib, meteorologist at the NCM, told sources.

“Some models indicate that rainfall will be higher than average in the coming months, from October and November until January,” Habib noted. “But nobody can give the exact amount with certainty.”

The clarification was issued as interest grows around this year’s El Niño, a climate pattern involving unusually warm surface waters in the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean. The phenomenon can influence weather patterns around the world, but its presence does not automatically translate into extreme weather in a particular country.

Source Khaleej Times