As the sweltering UAE summer is upon us, we’ve already had multiple days where the temperature has exceeded the 50 degrees Celcius mark already.
The highest temperature of this season was recorded on Sunday, with the temperature rising to a scorching 51.8 degrees Celsius in some parts of the country.
Although the highest ever temperature of 52.1 degrees Celsius was recorded in July 2002, this week is the first-time figures this high have been recorded two times in one week, as Friday saw temperatures of 51 degrees Celsius.
#The_highest_temperature_recorded over the country today is 51°C in Sweihan (Al Ain) at 14:00 UAE Local Time.
— المركز الوطني للأرصاد (@NCMS_media) June 4, 2021
So, this begs the question – could the UAE be on track for its hottest summer on record?
A spokesperson for the National Center of Meteorology told the it’s still too “premature” to decipher whether this will be the hottest summer of all time.
Temperatures within the UAE normally rise by 2-3 degrees Celsius in June in comparison to May, however, humidity does tend to decrease towards the end of June.
With a steady increase in heat since the 1990s, police and administration have been in discussion in relation to the heat, with Abu Dhabi Police reminding people that leaving children in cars and vehicles is a punishable offence by law which could lead to fines up to dhs1 million and up to a 10-year prison sentence.
Residents in Dubai are told to pay extra attention to their vehicles within the hot summer months, as car fires are likely.
Drivers have also been reminded to check their tyres, with the likelihood of tyres bursting in the heat, Abu Dhabi Police, as part of the ‘Summer-Safe-Traffic’ campaign, have asked road users to ensure tyres are in good condition to try to prevent serious accidents on the road.
