UAE residents can expect higher temperatures over the next couple of days as the summer slowly approaches.
In its five-day bulletin published on Sunday, the National Centre of Meteorology said temperatures were forecast to increase on Monday and again on Wednesday.
The NCM said the mercury could hit 41ºC on Sunday in some inland parts of the country with relative humidity levels as high as 70 per cent.
The coastal cities of Abu Dhabi and Dubai could be in for temperatures of more than 40ºC this week.
The NCM also issued a 12-hour yellow “be aware” weather warning for Sunday from 9.45am to 9.45pm as north-westerly winds could reach speeds of reaching 40kph along with and rough seas at times in the Arabian Gulf with waves of 1.8 metres.
Temperatures, meanwhile, have been regularly exceeding the 40ºC mark. The highest temperature on Saturday, for example, was 43.3ºC in Al Quaa in Al Ain. The day before, the NCM recorded a temperature of 42.5ºC in Sweihan in Al Ain.
For the Monday forecast, the NCM said that temperatures will “tend to increase” and cautioned winds reaching speeds of 40kph could kick up dust clouds.
The NCM said Wednesday is set to bring “another increase in temperatures”.
It comes just over a month since a prolonged bout of unsettled weather that brought significant amounts of rainfall to the UAE.
The weather system culminated in a powerful storm that passed over the UAE early on March 27 bringing thunder, lightning and heavy rain.
The conditions caused some flooding, travel disruption and needed an extensive clean-up operation by authorities.
