UAE | Environment

Why this summer is hotter than ever

Temperatures are soaring to record levels in the UAE, with the average minimum temperature for this month set to be the highest ever recorded in Dubai.

  • By Daniel Bardsley, Staff Reporter
  • Published: 23:00 August 12, 2007
  • Gulf News

  • With temperatures remaining high, doctors warn against long exposure to the sun.
  • Image Credit: Asghar Khan/Gulf News
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Dubai: Temperatures are soaring to record levels in the UAE, with the average minimum temperature for this month set to be the highest ever recorded in Dubai.

The sweltering weather this month continues the long-term trend of temperatures in the UAE climbing decade on decade.

Figures released by the meteorological office at Dubai International Airport show that the average minimum temperature so far this August is 32.5C.

If this is maintained until the end of the month, then this August will have the highest average minimum temperature since records began more than 20 years ago.

Up to now, the highest average minimum temperature for August was 32C, recorded last year.

The mean maximum temperature in August 1997 was 39.2C, rising to 42.7C in 2006. The mean maximum temperature so far in August this year is 41.5C.

Forecasters in the UAE have long been saying that the overall trend for temperatures is upwards, with the "heat-island effect" — the tendency of urban areas to have higher temperatures than countryside — likely to be a major factor.

Global warming could also be making a contribution.
Phil Targett, a duty forecaster at Dubai International Airport, said: "If you compare a bare bit of desert with a built-up area, the built-up area will have lots more absorbent surfaces.

"At night it's got more heat to radiate away and it stays warmer. It's a warmer patch than it would otherwise be if you didn't have buildings."

Urban growth

Temperatures in Dubai are likely to climb because of the continued urban growth, forecasters have warned.

The ever-larger urban area will absorb more of the sun's heat, according to experts.

Dubai is among the fastest-growing cities in the world, with huge projects planned that will expand the area covered by heat absorbent buildings and roads.

"The more concrete and paved roads you have, the bigger the [heat] island gets, and as long as Dubai gets bigger, so does the [heat island]. It's a well-known urban effect," said Phil Targett, duty forecaster at Dubai International Airport.

Island effect

Targett said it was difficult to separate the results of the heat island effect from those of global warming.

Data from the meteorological station at Sharjah International Airport, where the heat island effect is likely to be weaker compared to Dubai, show that temperatures are increasing there as well, he said.

The temperature rise at Sharjah's airport suggests that not all of the temperature increase in the UAE is due to the heat island effect, and global warming could be having an influence.

"There is certainly a heat island effect, but trying to tease them [global warming and the heat island effect] apart is difficult," Targett said.

Yousuf Al Ali, a project engineer at Masdar, an Abu Dhabi-based energy company, said oil production and energy generation in the UAE could also be a reason behind the rise in local temperatures.

High temperatures have significant detrimental effects on health, according to a Dubai-based general practitioner, Dr Abdul Rehman Shihabi.

The main danger, Dr Shihabi said, was losing liquid, which upsets the balance of electrolytes - dissolved minerals - in the blood.

"It can lead to heatstroke, and people who are diabetic or who have heart diseases can suffer a lot.

"People who work outdoors are exposed to the sun directly. In summer it is much more of a problem," he said.

Labourers working under the sun are likely to be particularly vulnerable - two deaths were reported in June - along with children.

Hot summer weather is not just an issue for people - cars can suffer too. Overheating of engines and failed air-conditioning systems are a major concern in the hot weather.

Tyres become more prone to blowouts, so in summer it becomes doubly important not to drive with tyres that are badly worn.

Air pollution

Hotter weather can exacerbate air pollution problems as higher temperatures increase the production of ozone.

Ozone at ground level is created when volatile organic compounds and nitrogen oxides - both of which are pollutants released by vehicles and other sources - combine.

Ozone causes respiratory problems and can also make people more prone to infections. Reports have suggested that in Dubai, ozone levels are above World Health Organisation guidelines at many monitoring stations.

SUMMER TIME BLUES

August 1997
Mean minimum temperature - 29.5C
Mean maximum temperature - 39.2C

August 2002
Mean minimum temperature - 30.4C
Mean maximum temperature - 41.0C

August 2007 (so far)
Mean minimum temperature - 32.5C
Mean maximum temperature - 41.5C

Advice for the summer

  • Try not to spend long periods of time outside when you will be exposed to the heat.
  • Drink sufficient water to prevent dehydration.
  • If you are pale skinned, wear a wide-brimmed hat, shirt and apply a high-factor sunscreen when you go outside.
  • Have your car's cooling system pressure tested, especially if the vehicle is more than three years old and ensure coolant levels do not fall too low.

With inputs from Reema Saffarini, Staff Reporter

Have your say
Do you find it to be the hottest August in your experience in the UAE? Why do you think so? Are we seeing the effects of global warming? Tell us at letter2editor@gulfnews.com or fill in the form below to send your comments.


Your comments


It definitely has been the hottest summer. I was born and raised here too, I can tell. I disagree with Mr. Ihab, it feels hotter in Egypt and Syria because there isn't as much air conditioning there as we have here. But temperatures there have been lower than here, but also higher than records there. I'm certain that all of this is due to global warming, probably 90 per cent of it. The other 10 per cent is because of the "heat islands", especially since most of Dubai's construction growth is spread apart in vast areas. We are feeling the effects of global warming in an alarming rate, soon enough no one will be safe from it. (Check out Al Gore's An Inconvenient Truth, excellent piece on this issue).
Khaled
Abu Dhabi,UAE
Posted: August 13, 2007, 12:15

I believe global warming is one of the factors for the rising temperature of our earth. But the most concerning thing is that nobody in Dubai seems to care or worry about that. We need to reduce our carbon footprint to protect our future.
Junaid
Dubai,UAE
Posted: August 13, 2007, 11:48

Planting about 50 trees and developing gardens among a cluster of every 20 towers will help. Start using solar panels instead of glass-covered buildings will reduce electricity needs by at least 15 per cent. Low cost dehumidifiers can reduce AC requirements by almost 30 per cent. A habit of not using vehicles for two days a week on working days will reduce temperatures miraculously.
Stylus
Sharjah,UAE
Posted: August 13, 2007, 11:41

I would like to suggest the authorities make all the footpaths covered in Dubai. It will really help a lot of pedestrians who walk direct under the sun.
Omar
Dubai,UAE
Posted: August 13, 2007, 09:50

Waiting for transport under the heat of the sun for long hours is also very hard during summer because buses don't come on time because of too much traffic and taxis also most of the times choose their passengers.
Jazle
Dubai,UAE
Posted: August 13, 2007, 09:19

Yes, I have seen the difference. As I am born and brought up here, I have never felt this much unbearable hot weather before. Of course it?s because of global warming. And we should drink as much water as we can and avoid exposure to sun.
Sumayya
Dubai,UAE
Posted: August 13, 2007, 09:04

Definitely the temperature has risen drastically when compared with the last couple of years. The main factors for the rise in temperature are the anthropogenic effects, caused by the building construction. We are feeling the effect of global warming very drastically.
Vinayan
Dubai,UAE
Posted: August 13, 2007, 09:04

Really it is the hottest month and it could be because of the trees which are been cut down due to new on-going projects in the city.
Sheikh
Dubai,UAE
Posted: August 13, 2007, 09:04

II think it is right to say that this year is one of the hottest in UAE. Well I have heard about many labourers fainting because of the high temperature.
Amer
Sharjah,UAE
Posted: August 13, 2007, 07:33

Yes, it has been the hottest August BUT, I have also been in Egypt and Syria through June and July and it is a lot worse than here and they are usually much better than the UAE at summer. So I have to say, it maybe the hottest August but the increase isn?t as much as in other countries which is a good thing.
Ihab
Dubai,UAE
Posted: August 13, 2007, 01:53

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