UAE weather: Will it rain on New Year's Eve?

On the last day of the year, Dubai residents may experience dense cloud cover with chances of a drizzle in the evening.

Eisa Al Sereidi, Head of General Meteorology at the National Centre of Meteorology (NCM), spoke of the onset of winter months in the UAE, while speaking to Khaleej Times.

Dense fog blanketed the city on Thursday morning. However, a gradual reduction in fog cover is expected in the following days.

Sereidi said, “Starting today (Thursday) for the next three days, we expect fog formation, but this fog cover will decrease with each passing day."

“On December 31, on New Year’s Eve, we expect a probable fog over internal areas. Also, we expect some cloud cover over coastal areas in general, and more specifically over northern and eastern areas."

"We foresee that the weather in general will be fair to cloudy over coastal areas, particularly in northern and eastern areas. This might be associated with lightning. There are chances of light rain…more like a drizzle.”

He pointed out that the first day of the new year will also be fair to partly cloudy especially over coastal areas.

“Moisture is travelling from the West to the East, potentially resulting in heavy rainfall over Saudi Arabia. Consequently, we may experience scattered clouds and potential drizzling as a result.

“It will start over the sea as the clouds are moving from West to East. So, if it rains it will be first over the sea and the islands. Then, it will move towards the North. It would touch coastal areas like Dubai and Sharjah, up to Ras Al Khaimah. Some clouds will be over Eastern areas, moving from Dubai to Fujairah. But, it will mostly be cloudy with less chances of actual rainfall,” he added.

Possible drizzle

The veteran weatherman also highlighted that December this year has experienced a lower amount of rainfall compared to previous years during this same month.

Sereidi added, “From November to January last year, our prospects for rainfall were more favourable. That resulted in unstable weather conditions in 2022 during this period. If we look around Saudi Arabia and adjoining areas, the chances of rain are good. But this year we had high pressure persisting over our country and preventing the rain-bearing clouds from scattering over the country.”

He explains the coming weekend will see an extension of high pressure that has been preventing rainfall over the UAE.

“Rainfall is expected in Saudi Arabia, gradually shifting across the Arabian Gulf towards Iran as it moves northward. Consequently, there's a chance of cloud movement causing possible drizzling in the region.”

Chilly weather ahead

He warned residents of colder days in January.

Sereidi notes that the temperature registered on a mountain in Ras Al Khaimah had reached 9.9ºC.

“Historically the coldest month is January, here. The nights will be longer now and subsequently, it’s going to get colder. Some attributing factors that can cause the temperatures to drop are strong northwesterly winds coming from the sea. The temperatures are likely to drop by four to five degrees,” he added.

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