No end in sight for humidity in Dubai and Abu Dhabi - could reach 90 per cent in areas later this week

Levels expected to drop briefly on Tuesday before rising again, say forecasters

A hazy, humid morning in Abu Dhabi. Humidity levels are set to reach 90 per cent later this week. Victor Besa / The National.

There will be a brief respite from the hot and sticky weather in the UAE on Tuesday, before humidity climbs again in the following days, forecasters said.

Humidity is expected to reach up to 90 per cent in some parts in late afternoons and overnight later in the week.

Forecasters have said north-westerly winds have resulted in a rise in humidity in recent days.

The wind patterns will change on Tuesday, before reverting back later in the week – meaning more sticky nights and early mornings ahead, said Ahmed Habib, a forecaster at the National Centre of Meteorology.

“This time, starting in the summer, the temperature will increase,” he said.

“For the humidity, it will depend on the source of the air mass. Over the past few days, we have been affected by a north-westerly wind, which is coming from over the sea.

“If there is too much water vapour in this air mass, the humidity increases, especially in the late afternoon until morning.”

Temperatures could reach up to 42°C on the coast on Tuesday, as the wind direction changes.

“After that it will again be affected by a north-westerly wind, so the temperature will drop again on Wednesday, especially on the coast.

“But if you have a north-westerly wind, you know the relative humidity will increase," said Mr Habib. "This is the rule.”

Temperatures will remain in the high 30s on the coast throughout Thursday and Friday, before climbing to the low 40s on Saturday. It will be hotter inland, reaching up to 43°C in Al Ain on Friday.

But by the end of next week, temperatures could reach 45°C on the coast.

Wild weather in the UAE: in pictures

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  People run for cover during the March 9, 2016 storm in Khalifa City, Abu Dhabi, when strong winds and driving rain caused chaos across the UAE. Christopher Pike / The National

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  City streets were inundated with water, such as here on 8th Street in Abu Dhabi. Antonie Robertson / The National

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  While the rain and winds caused major damage they brought smiles of glee for some of the younger residents of Abu Dhabi. Delores Johnson / The National

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  The sky darkened from early on March 9, 2016. The view from Abu Dhabi's main bus station is of murky skies. Jonathan Raymond / The National

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  However, storms have always been a feature of the weather here, such as this squall on Abu Dhabi's Corniche taken at some point between 1962 and 1964. Photo: David Riley

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  Flooding is seen in Fujairah following heavy rainfall. Photo: Storm Centre UAE

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  Floodwater often inundated Abu Dhabi island during the 1960s as defences had yet to be built. Photo: David Riley

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  A huge storm that swept through the region in 1963 left the Sharjah Airbase flooded, as this photograph shows. Photo: Vic Cozens

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  Snow can also be common in the winter. Snowmen are often built, such as this one in Jebel Jais in January, 2020. Photo: Ahmed Al Bedwawi

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  Snow also fell on Jebel Jais mountain in Ras al Khaimah in January and December 2017. Photo: Mike Charlton

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  Most of Jebel Jais was blanketed in a pristine layer of snow. Photo: Ahmed Al Bedwawi

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  Dense fog is also common in the mountains, as this 2015 shot from Jebel Jais shows. Jeffrey E Biteng / The National

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  Fog and mist cover the Burj Al Arab. Chris Whiteoak / The National

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  Early morning fog in Discovery Gardens, Dubai in April, 2020. Pawan Singh / The National

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  Dense fog is common during winter, reducing visibility on the roads. Pawan Singh / The National

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  Dubai Media City enveloped in fog. Pawan Singh / The National

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  Dust storms are also common, causing havoc on the roads such as this one from March, 2017 in Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National

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  A lightening strike in Umm Al Quwain. Photo: Storm Centre UAE

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  Another dust storm from 2018. Antonie Robertson / The National

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  A dust storm passes by the Sheikh Zayed Mosque in Fujairah, April, 2020. Chris Whiteoak / The National

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  Rain storms can cause the most chaos, however, as the March 2016 one did. A construction barrier fell onto parked cars in Abu Dhabi. AFP

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  Trees were uprooted on 29th Street in Abu Dhabi during the same storm. Ravindranath K / The National