The United Arab Emirates (UAE) woke up to an unusual chill this morning, as temperatures dropped to a record-low 1.9°C in Ras Al Khaimah’s Jebel Jais.
This marks the coldest temperature recorded this season, just a day after Friday’s 2.2°C reading, according to local meteorologists.
The frigid conditions have brought rare winter phenomena to the region, including frost and ice crystals, with some areas experiencing freezing temperatures as low as 0°C.
At 5 am today, residents in the mountainous regions of Ras Al Khaimah woke up to a chilling sight as frost blanketed the landscape.
The extreme cold caused ice crystals to form in several areas, including on car rooftops and along water streams.
A video shared by Storm Centre showed ice crystals floating down a mountain stream, offering a rare visual in a nation better known for its hot desert climate.
According to reports from Storm Centre/X, temperatures in Jebel Jais, the highest peak in the UAE, fell to the freezing point, marking an unexpected shift in the weather.
The cold weather, which has been settling in the northern emirates, is particularly notable for its effect on Ras Al Khaimah, which has previously recorded some of the country’s lowest temperatures during winter.
In addition to the freezing temperatures in Ras Al Khaimah, the UAE’s coastal areas also felt the effects of the cold snap. Umm Al Quwain recorded a chilly 8°C at 6 am, while the Falaj Al Mualla area reported temperatures of 7°C.
These readings are notably lower than the typical temperatures in the UAE, where daytime temperatures usually range in the high 20s to low 30s Celsius during winter.
The drop in temperatures comes on the heels of moderate to heavy rainfall that swept across the country on Friday, affecting several cities including Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and other northern emirates. The rain, although not severe, brought some relief to the parched land after months of dry conditions.
Despite the heavy rainfall of the previous day, the weather forecast for Saturday indicates a break in the wet conditions.
The National Centre of Meteorology (NCM) has predicted fair to partly cloudy skies throughout the day, with no further rainfall expected.
While temperatures are expected to remain on the cooler side, residents can anticipate milder weather compared to the freezing temperatures witnessed in the early hours of the morning.
This unusual cold front has sparked interest among residents and tourists alike, with many taking to social media to share photos of the frost-covered mountains and frozen streams.
The temperatures, while cold by local standards, are a stark reminder of the region’s unpredictability and the changing weather patterns in recent years.
While such temperatures are rare, they highlight the ongoing shifts in global weather systems, which have been increasingly felt across the UAE and the wider Gulf region.
As the cold snap continues, the UAE’s residents are advised to bundle up and prepare for another chilly day, especially in the mountainous areas of Ras Al Khaimah and other northern emirates.
For those planning to venture outdoors, it is important to be mindful of the potentially slippery conditions caused by frost, particularly on roads leading to the higher altitudes of the Jebel Jais region.
This article was created using automation technology and was thoroughly edited and fact-checked by one of our editorial staff members