This year’s April temperatures were the lowest recorded in the country in 25 years, it has been revealed – and experts believe it could be caused by climate change.
A detailed analysis of meteorological data spanning more than two decades was extracted from more than 100 stations across the country.
Dr Ahmed Habib, of the UAE’s National Centre of Meteorology, said scientists worked with data and temperature readings dating to 1998 from about 110 weather stations.
“Our extensive network of meteorological stations provides a wealth of information, allowing us to make more accurate comparisons and assessments,” Dr Habib told The National.
Having more clouds in the sky reduces the amount of solar energy at the surface and may have contributed to the cooler temperatures in April
Dr Diana Francis,
Khalifa University Abu Dhabi
“The maximum temperature in April this year peaked at 41.6°C, nearly two degrees lower than the same period in 2003 and over five degrees lower than in 2012, which registered a high of 46.9°C.”
He said the average maximum temperature for April 2023 was 31.9°C, the lowest in the past 25 years.
The closest figure was recorded in 2016, when the average maximum temperature was 32.5°C.
Dr Habib pointed to unique conditions that prevailed during this April and contributed to the drop in temperatures.
“The UAE experienced frequent atmospheric pressure systems which brought in cooler air masses from the Mediterranean Sea and northern Saudi Arabia,” he said.
“This contributed significantly to the general drop in temperature during the month.”
The pressure systems also helped to draw substantial amounts of medium and high clouds from Saudi Arabia towards the UAE.
“Known as cloud cover, these clouds blocked the sun’s rays, further aiding in the reduction of temperatures,” he said.
Increased cloud cover
Dr Diana Francis, who heads the Environmental and Geophysical Sciences lab at Khalifa University in Abu Dhabi, agreed and said that in the past five to 10 years, there had been an increase in cloud cover over the UAE during spring.
This, she said, was caused by global warming.
“Having more clouds in the sky reduces the amount of solar energy at the surface and may have contributed to the cooler temperatures in April,” Dr Francis told The National.
“In one of our studies looking into satellite data for the last two decades, we have found not only cloudiness has increased in spring, but also the rain that comes with it, which is in line with the conclusions of the latest IPCC [Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change] report with regards to changes in the tropics due to global warming.”
April’s temperatures are in stark contrast to this month. The UAE’s mercury hit highs of 44°C in the main coastal cities of Abu Dhabi and Dubai in early May.
Germany-based Prof Jos Lelieveld, who researches climate issues affecting the Mediterranean and Middle East, said that climate change was leading to greater variability in temperature and precipitation.
“It’s a bit of an unusual year this year and this is probably true also for the Middle East,” he said.
The overall warming trend in the Middle East was “much larger” than in many other parts of the world, he said.
However, there is variability around this.
“It’s really not a good idea to compare one month with the changes in the climate, because the climate changes are going on a large scale and longer-term,” Prof Lelieveld said.
“These one-month events are very local.”
Cool April weather in the UAE – in pictures
UK’s AI plan
- AI ambassadors such as MIT economist Simon Johnson, Monzo cofounder Tom Blomfield and Google DeepMind’s Raia Hadsell
- £10bn AI growth zone in South Wales to create 5,000 jobs
- £100m of government support for startups building AI hardware products
- £250m to train new AI models
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Election pledges on migration
CDU: "Now is the time to control the German borders and enforce strict border rejections"
SPD: "Border closures and blanket rejections at internal borders contradict the spirit of a common area of freedom"
A cheaper choice
Vanuatu: $130,000
Why on earth pick Vanuatu? Easy. The South Pacific country has no income tax, wealth tax, capital gains or inheritance tax. And in 2015, when it was hit by Cyclone Pam, it signed an agreement with the EU that gave it some serious passport power.
Cost: A minimum investment of $130,000 for a family of up to four, plus $25,000 in fees.
Criteria: Applicants must have a minimum net worth of $250,000. The process take six to eight weeks, after which the investor must travel to Vanuatu or Hong Kong to take the oath of allegiance. Citizenship and passport are normally provided on the same day.
Benefits: No tax, no restrictions on dual citizenship, no requirement to visit or reside to retain a passport. Visa-free access to 129 countries.
How will Gen Alpha invest?
Mark Chahwan, co-founder and chief executive of robo-advisory firm Sarwa, forecasts that Generation Alpha (born between 2010 and 2024) will start investing in their teenage years and therefore benefit from compound interest.
“Technology and education should be the main drivers to make this happen, whether it’s investing in a few clicks or their schools/parents stepping up their personal finance education skills,” he adds.
Mr Chahwan says younger generations have a higher capacity to take on risk, but for some their appetite can be more cautious because they are investing for the first time. “Schools still do not teach personal finance and stock market investing, so a lot of the learning journey can feel daunting and intimidating,” he says.
He advises millennials to not always start with an aggressive portfolio even if they can afford to take risks. “We always advise to work your way up to your risk capacity, that way you experience volatility and get used to it. Given the higher risk capacity for the younger generations, stocks are a favourite,” says Mr Chahwan.
Highlighting the role technology has played in encouraging millennials and Gen Z to invest, he says: “They were often excluded, but with lower account minimums ... a customer with $1,000 [Dh3,672] in their account has their money working for them just as hard as the portfolio of a high get-worth individual.”
TEACHERS' PAY - WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Pay varies significantly depending on the school, its rating and the curriculum. Here's a rough guide as of January 2021:
- top end schools tend to pay Dh16,000-17,000 a month - plus a monthly housing allowance of up to Dh6,000. These tend to be British curriculum schools rated 'outstanding' or 'very good', followed by American schools
- average salary across curriculums and skill levels is about Dh10,000, recruiters say
- it is becoming more common for schools to provide accommodation, sometimes in an apartment block with other teachers, rather than hand teachers a cash housing allowance
- some strong performing schools have cut back on salaries since the pandemic began, sometimes offering Dh16,000 including the housing allowance, which reflects the slump in rental costs, and sheer demand for jobs
- maths and science teachers are most in demand and some schools will pay up to Dh3,000 more than other teachers in recognition of their technical skills
- at the other end of the market, teachers in some Indian schools, where fees are lower and competition among applicants is intense, can be paid as low as Dh3,000 per month
- in Indian schools, it has also become common for teachers to share residential accommodation, living in a block with colleagues
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Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
WandaVision
Starring: Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Bettany
Directed by: Matt Shakman
Rating: Four stars
Tips to keep your car cool
- Place a sun reflector in your windshield when not driving
- Park in shaded or covered areas
- Add tint to windows
- Wrap your car to change the exterior colour
- Pick light interiors - choose colours such as beige and cream for seats and dashboard furniture
- Avoid leather interiors as these absorb more heat
COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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Explainer: Tanween Design Programme
Non-profit arts studio Tashkeel launched this annual initiative with the intention of supporting budding designers in the UAE. This year, three talents were chosen from hundreds of applicants to be a part of the sixth creative development programme. These are architect Abdulla Al Mulla, interior designer Lana El Samman and graphic designer Yara Habib.
The trio have been guided by experts from the industry over the course of nine months, as they developed their own products that merge their unique styles with traditional elements of Emirati design. This includes laboratory sessions, experimental and collaborative practice, investigation of new business models and evaluation.
It is led by British contemporary design project specialist Helen Voce and mentor Kevin Badni, and offers participants access to experts from across the world, including the likes of UK designer Gareth Neal and multidisciplinary designer and entrepreneur, Sheikh Salem Al Qassimi.
The final pieces are being revealed in a worldwide limited-edition release on the first day of Downtown Designs at Dubai Design Week 2019. Tashkeel will be at stand E31 at the exhibition.
Lisa Ball-Lechgar, deputy director of Tashkeel, said: “The diversity and calibre of the applicants this year … is reflective of the dynamic change that the UAE art and design industry is witnessing, with young creators resolute in making their bold design ideas a reality.”
PROFILE OF STARZPLAY
Date started: 2014
Founders: Maaz Sheikh, Danny Bates
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment/Streaming Video On Demand
Number of employees: 125
Investors/Investment amount: $125 million. Major investors include Starz/Lionsgate, State Street, SEQ and Delta Partners
Desert Warrior
Starring: Anthony Mackie, Aiysha Hart, Ben Kingsley
Director: Rupert Wyatt
Rating: 3/5
Book%20Details
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