Daytime temperatures are set to drop below 30°C across the UAE this week, with rain on the way as the winter season approaches.
The National Centre of Meteorology forecast scattered showers, high winds and cloudy conditions, particularly over western and coastal areas, until Friday.
The centre said the unsettled weather came amid the "seasonal transition from autumn to winter" and would lead to "cooler, more moderate weather overall".
Humidity is expected to remain high in the mornings, while wind speeds could reach up to 40kph over coastal and inland regions. The NCM's online weather map shows daytime temperatures will hover around the mid-30s until Thursday, before dropping sharply on Friday.
Daytime temperatures are expected to peak at 29°C in Dubai on Friday – falling to 22°C in the evening – and will reach 28°C in Abu Dhabi during the day, falling to 24°C by night.
The cooler weather will offer relief to the public and offer further opportunities to venture outdoors, after a scorching summer started early this year, with the hottest April and May on record.
In the UAE, the winter typically begins in late December and continues until mid-March. Temperatures then rise steadily from the spring in March and can be expected to exceed 40°C regularly throughout the summer months, from June until the end of September.
