The UAE weather is becoming gloomier this week, including misty mornings, large areas of cloud cover, and surprise showers that can come up on beachgoers or commuters. According to forecasts from the National Centre of Meteorology (NCM) and other sources, the weather will alternate between humid mornings and partly or mostly cloudy skies, with light rain most likely in the west and along the coastal areas of the UAE. The first sign of the weather will be both early-morning fog and mist.
Because of high humidity overnight and dropping temperatures over the course of the night, expect to see areas of fog settling into both the coastal areas and inland. As a result, visibility when driving and flying into some airports may be reduced. The NCM points out that it is common to experience this type of condition when moisture-laden air masses settle into an area after having been moved during a period of cooling. Motorists are encouraged to use low beams while driving and reduce speed until visibility returns to normal.
Day-to-day sky conditions will range from bright periods to total overcast (clouds) covering the entire sky. Meteorologists are anticipating that convective clouds will build up in the western part of the country, creating the possibility for light, scattered rain showers over the western coast of the UAE and coastal islands, on average. The rain showers are expected to be short bursts of rain showers versus long periods of rain. Rain from these clouds can also create slippery roads and strong gusts of wind for brief periods of time. The sea state in the northern part of the Arabian Gulf is predicted to range from slight to moderate, with wind direction switching between southeast and northeast.
With the growing trend toward winter in the UAE seasonal cycle, the amount of cooling at night and on average over the month of November over the months before will create improved conditions for the development of fog in the morning and allow for the daytime temperatures to remain comfortable and mild. It is important that residents check with their local advisories regarding any outdoor activities, early morning flights, or maritime activities prior to going out.
In the Gulf Coast region, fog can often develop rapidly and then dissipate quickly due to the shallow boundary layer—a thin area where there are dramatic changes in temperature and humidity with height in the atmosphere. This is why a street may be foggy at dawn but clear by noon while the rest of the sky is cloudy. At this time, keep an umbrella handy at the door, allow yourself an extra hour or so for travels in the morning, and appreciate the wonderful quality of the changing of the seasons from winter into spring; it has a true sense of nostalgia much like that of a classic movie.
