UAE's highest peak sees visitor upsurge after temperature drops to 2°C

Jebel Jais in Ras Al Khaimah turns into hotspot for campers looking to experience the winter chill

As the UAE experiences a cold snap, with temperatures dropping to lows of 2ºC in the mountains of Ras Al Khaimah, several residents have headed to the highest peak to experience the winter chill and possibly a chance to see frost.

Towering 1,934 metres above sea level, Jebel Jais has become a star attraction as temperatures drop to an average of 10°C lower than the rest of the country.

Many residents were either camping overnight in the mountains or driving up in the early hours to have breakfast against the stunning backdrop.

Emirati Mohammed Khalil told The National that the winter season is the best time to go camping in the mountains.

He and his friends head to Jebel Jais three or four times during winter. "We got here around 7pm last night and pitched our tents," said the Dubai resident, 23. "We got a campfire going and cooked burgers for dinner."

Dressed in heavy winter clothing, Mr Khalil said it was exciting to experience the cold weather in the UAE. "We are so used to the hot weather, so it's a refreshing change to experience the drop in temperature, and if we are lucky, even spot frost or snow."

The temperatures dipped to 3°C after midnight on Monday, he added.

For Pakistani expat Mehak Zaman, the camping trip to Jebel Jais is a welcome break from the hustle and bustle of city life. "We had come to Jebel Jais 10 days ago and had to rush back as we weren't prepared for the cold," she said. "This time, however, we came wearing three layers of clothes. It was very chilly in the night ... this is possibly the coldest winter I've experienced in the UAE so far."

Junaid Munawar, from Pakistan, came armed with thick blankets and lit fire soon after pitching his tent. “It was super cold. I wish more people would camp in the mountains to experience the winter weather,” said the 29 year old. “The views, especially at sunrise and sunset, are stunning and shouldn't be missed."

Raymark Sarmiento, 34, from the Philippines, drove to the mountains at 5am on Tuesday hoping to see frost, but settled for a breakfast with a stunning view.

"I came here after seeing social media videos of ice crystals in Jebel Jais," he said. "Unfortunately, I didn't see any. But having breakfast while watching the sunrise in the cold weather turned out to be magical."

Inspired by other campers, Mr Sarmiento is planning to return to spend another night in the mountains.

Rain forecast for the week

Cloudy conditions are expected until Friday, with rain forecast by the National Centre of Meteorology on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, and noticeably cooler weather across the Emirates, with lows of 14ºC forecast every day until Friday in Dubai and 15ºC in Abu Dhabi.

It follows a cold weekend, with temperatures in Jebel Jais dropping to 1.8ºC on Sunday, according to the NCM. The mercury rose slightly on Monday morning, with the UAE's lowest temperature of the day being 3.4ºC, recorded in the Raknah area of Al Ain at 7.15am.

Temperatures have dropped significantly since the turn of the year, NCM data shows. For comparison, the lowest temperature in the UAE on December 31 was 10.7ºC, in the vast desert region of Al Dhafra, in Abu Dhabi.

The current chilly conditions and frost at the UAE’s tallest peak may be no surprise, but elsewhere in the Emirates there has also been a distinct feeling of winter in the air. Clear skies have coincided with temperatures dropping to 13ºC overnight in Al Ain, and 14ºC in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.