UAE temperatures to hit 49°C Wednesday as dusty winds sweep exposed areas
The National Centre of Meteorology forecasts inland temperatures reaching 49°C on Wednesday, with fresh winds kicking up dust across exposed regions. Fair to partly cloudy conditions expected as the summer heat wave continues.
UAE temperatures to hit 49°C Wednesday as dusty winds sweep exposed areas
Temperatures across the UAE are forecast to climb as high as 49°C in inland areas on Wednesday, while fresh winds are expected to stir up blowing dust in exposed regions, according to the National Centre of Meteorology.
The forecast calls for fair to partly cloudy conditions, particularly over eastern and northern parts of the country, with generally stable weather prevailing throughout the day.
Wednesday's temperatures mark a continuation of the intense summer heat gripping the region. Earlier in June, the UAE recorded its highest temperature of the season at 49.4°C in Sweihan, Al Ain on June 20, followed by subsequent readings of 49.8°C in Al Dhafra on June 24 and 49.9°C in Mezaira on June 21. While significant, these figures remain below the UAE's all-time temperature record of 52.1°C, set in Sweihan, Al Ain in July 2002 and standing for over two decades.
Temperature distribution
Coastal areas and islands will experience daytime highs between 39°C and 44°C, while inland regions are expected to range from 44°C to 49°C. Mountainous areas will see relatively cooler conditions, with temperatures recording between 33°C and 38°C.
Wind and visibility conditions
Southwesterly to northwesterly winds of 10-25 kilometres per hour, strengthening to 40 kilometres per hour at times, could reduce visibility in dusty areas. Such dust storms are common in the UAE during summer months when dry conditions and gusty winds sweep sand and dust across large areas, with most originating in the dried-up marshlands of Kuwait or Iraq.
Seas will remain slight to moderate in the Arabian Gulf and slight in the Gulf of Oman, the 560-kilometre body of water connecting the Arabian Sea with the Strait of Hormuz.
Extended forecast
The weather is expected to remain largely unchanged over the coming days, with fair skies dominating and patches of low cloud forming over eastern areas during morning hours. Winds will become northwesterly before gradually shifting southeasterly, easing slightly on Thursday and Friday with speeds of 10-20 kilometres per hour, before freshening again over the weekend to 35 kilometres per hour at times.
Sea conditions are forecast to remain generally slight in both the Arabian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, although the Arabian Gulf could become slight to moderate by Sunday.
No significant drop in temperatures is expected, with hot and typically humid summer conditions continuing across much of the country. The persistent heat forms part of a broader regional pattern, with a heat wave affecting eight Arab countries that began around July 15 and is expected to last until at least July 25, with temperatures widely exceeding the mid-forties Celsius across desert regions.
Climate outlook
The National Centre of Meteorology, which has provided weather forecasting, climate studies, and early warning services across the UAE since its establishment in 2007, has forecast a 98 per cent probability that El Niño conditions will prevail between July and November 2026. These conditions could result in weaker northwesterly winds that typically provide cooling relief to the Gulf during summer, with temperatures and rainfall during this period likely to be near to above seasonal averages.
Summer officially began in the UAE on June 20, 2026, marking the summer solstice on its earliest date since 1796, ushering in several months of hot and humid weather across the Emirates.
