As Dubai residents prepare to ring in the New Year, they can expect a cloudy evening with the possibility of light rain, according to Eisa Al Sereidi, Head of General Meteorology at the National Centre of Meteorology (NCM).
Speaking to Khaleej Times, Al Sereidi detailed the weather forecast for the upcoming days, marking the onset of winter in the UAE.
The city experienced dense fog on Thursday morning, but Al Sereidi anticipates a gradual reduction in fog over the next few days. “From today (Thursday) for the next three days, we expect fog formation, decreasing each day,” he said.
New Year’s Eve, on December 31, may see fog over internal areas and cloud cover, especially over northern and eastern coastal areas. “The weather will be fair to cloudy, with potential lightning and light rain, more like a drizzle,” Al Sereidi added.
The first day of the new year is also expected to be fair to partly cloudy, particularly over coastal regions. Al Sereidi pointed out that moisture moving from west to east might result in heavy rainfall in Saudi Arabia, possibly leading to scattered clouds and drizzling in the UAE.
Discussing the lower rainfall this December compared to previous years, Al Sereidi mentioned that high atmospheric pressure has been preventing rain-bearing clouds from scattering over the UAE. However, there’s a possibility of light drizzle due to cloud movement in the region, with the weather pattern extending into the weekend.
Al Sereidi also warned of colder days ahead in January, noting a recent temperature of 9.9ºC on a mountain in Ras Al Khaimah. “January is historically the coldest month here. Longer nights and strong northwesterly winds will likely cause temperatures to drop by four to five degrees,” he concluded.