Unusually high temperatures for May are set to continue this week after the temperature peaked at 49.6°C in rural Al Ain on Saturday. Intense heat at the weekend and on Sunday was caused by the wind blowing in from the desert in the south-east and south-west, the National Centre of Meteorology said. This meant the breeze travelled over land and picked up heat before hitting the coastal cities. The heat is expected to hang around on Monday, in particular during the daytime, with maximum temperatures of 47°C in Abu Dhabi, 46°C in Al Ain and 45°C in Dubai. Relative humidity on Monday will be as high as 80 per cent in the capital and 60 per cent in Dubai and Sharjah, the weather centre said. Low clouds will form by morning and move eastwards. By night on Monday, it will be humid, and this will continue until Tuesday morning in some coastal areas. Winds across the Arabian Gulf will be light, with breezes expected to measure 15-20 km/h near coastal areas. They could reach 40 km/h at times. Tuesday will also be warm, with a high-pressure system continuing to be felt across the region. There will be respite from the heat later this week, however, when the wind is forecast to change. Coming from the north-west, it will cause the temperature to fall on Wednesday and Thursday but could lead to dusty conditions. Summers are typically hot and dry in the Emirates but the changing seasons can bring high humidity in May and September in particular.
