Cold snap sees UAE residents reach for coats and sweaters


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A white Christmas may be an impossible dream but a distinct chill in the air left residents reaching for sweaters and coats on Sunday.

Lows of 6°C in Raknah near Al Ain and a chilly morning breeze in Dubai and Abu Dhabi was enough to have families layering up - even if it was mid-20s by lunchtime.

Cool mornings and cold nights are set to continue in the coming days and shops have already seen an increase in demand.

“The weather started to get cold after sunset and now the children need new jackets and warm sweaters, their old ones won't fit them any more,” said Moza Al Ali, a 41-year-old Emirati mother-of-four who was shopping at Al Naeem City Centre in Ras Al Khaimah.

We've had a lot of tourists asking for extra clothes this week. They have escaped the bad weather elsewhere but only come here with summer clothes

“If I want to buy something for myself I would choose some soft wool or cashmere sweater or top that I can wear under the abaya if going to sit outdoors during the cold night.”

Many retailers had two-for-one offers on winter wear as traders hope to seize on a moment of opportunity.

“We’ve had a lot of tourists asking for extra clothes this week,” said Ahmed, who works in Debenhams in Dubai's Mall of the Emirates.

“I think they have escaped the bad weather elsewhere but only come here with summer clothes.

“The people I’ve spoken with were not expecting it to be so cool in Dubai, but it’s not usual.”

Thick, padded gilets were proving a popular choice in the mall's Centrepoint outlet, with shoppers keen to capitalise on 50 per cent discounts.

“I only went to work in a shirt this morning and it was pretty chilly, so wanted to get an extra layer in my lunch break,” said Omar, who works in Barsha.

Cold nights are not unusual across the UAE during winter, but temperatures remained locked in single figures in the north and internal areas for early morning.

Shops told The National they have seen a spike in sales during December, due to changeable weather and a series of downpours.

Ahmed Qadoura, an IT worker from Syria, said weekend desert trips have been particularly cold in recent weeks.

“I bought one jacket and two sweaters to stay warm while camping with my friends in the desert,” he said.

“Many shops have sales promotions on at the right time as the weather started to be seriously cold during the night and not just in the desert, so a t-shirt isn’t enough.”

Cities will continue to be slightly warmer overnight this week, with temperatures in the 15°C to 22°C, the National Centre of Meteorology forecast.

While snow is rare in the emirates, higher ground does sometimes see a flurry of the white stuff.

It is 10 years since any significant snowfall was seen in the country.

In January 2009, thick snow blanketed the Jebel Jais mountain range in Ras Al Khaimah at about 5,700 feet above sea level.

Temperatures plummeted to -3C, some of the coldest on record in the UAE, as snow spread across more than five kilometres.

Light winds will keep the mercury down on Monday before it warms up through to Christmas Day on Wednesday.

MATCH INFO

Uefa Champions League final:

Who: Real Madrid v Liverpool
Where: NSC Olimpiyskiy Stadium, Kiev, Ukraine
When: Saturday, May 26, 10.45pm (UAE)
TV: Match on BeIN Sports

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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ESSENTIALS

The flights

Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.

The hotels

Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.

The tours

A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages. 

The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo

The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
​​​​​​​Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km

Company%20Profile
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MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW

Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman

Director: Jesse Armstrong

Rating: 3.5/5

GAC GS8 Specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo

Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm

Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm

Transmission: 8-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh149,900

Manchester City 4
Otamendi (52) Sterling (59) Stones (67) Brahim Diaz (81)

Real Madrid 1
Oscar (90)

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
HUNGARIAN GRAND PRIX RESULT

1. Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari 1:39:46.713
2. Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari 00:00.908
3. Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes-GP 00:12.462
4. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes-GP 00:12.885
5. Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing 00:13.276
6. Fernando Alonso, McLaren 01:11.223
7. Carlos Sainz Jr, Toro Rosso 1 lap
8. Sergio Perez, Force India 1 lap
9. Esteban Ocon, Force India  1 lap
10. Stoffel Vandoorne, McLaren 1 lap
11. Daniil Kvyat, Toro Rosso 1 lap
12. Jolyon Palmer, Renault 1 lap
13. Kevin Magnussen, Haas 1 lap
14. Lance Stroll, Williams 1 lap
15. Pascal Wehrlein, Sauber 2 laps
16. Marcus Ericsson, Sauber 2 laps
17r. Nico Huelkenberg, Renault 3 laps
r. Paul Di Resta, Williams 10 laps
r. Romain Grosjean, Haas 50 laps
r. Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull Racing 70 laps

If you go

The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Seattle from Dh5,555 return, including taxes.


The car
Hertz offers compact car rental from about $300 (Dh1,100) per week, including taxes. Emirates Skywards members can earn points on their car hire through Hertz.


The national park
Entry to Mount Rainier National Park costs $30 for one vehicle and passengers for up to seven days. Accommodation can be booked through mtrainierguestservices.com. Prices vary according to season. Rooms at the Holiday Inn Yakima cost from $125 per night, excluding breakfast.

Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
  • Priority access to new homes from participating developers
  • Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
  • Flexible payment plans from developers
  • Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
  • DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
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The specs

Engine: 3.8-litre, twin-turbo V8

Transmission: eight-speed automatic

Power: 582bhp

Torque: 730Nm

Price: Dh649,000

On sale: now  

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
  • 600-seat auditorium
  • Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills