Al Ain: The Arabian peninsula has entered the cold season, marked by shivering nights and pleasant days, a met official has said.
People staying in the open at night or travelling must take proper protection against the cold as night temperatures are hovering around 10 degrees Celsius in some areas with predictions of a further plunge in the days ahead.
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The cold season begins in the first week of December and lasts about 40 days, said the meteorologist, noting that the mercury can drop to 0 degrees in some areas at times. The conditions could be severe in desert towns. "It's the harsh nature of the desert, heat poses a threat to the lives in the day and the cold can kill at night," said the meteorologist.
Be extra careful
People living in deserts have been dealing with this situation for centuries. "They know how to deal with these extremes, but expatriates must be extra careful," he said. The conditions normally cover the entire peninsula stretching from Yemen and Saudi Arabia to the UAE and areas up to the Strait of Hormuz.
The windy weather is at its worst in early morning as many areas have low temperatures and fog. "I'll advise people to wear warm clothes when they set out, especially on weekend holidays," he said.
The National Centre of Meteorology and Seismology (NCMS) yesterday reported a minimum temperature of just 10 degrees at Sharjah airport and in Al Wathba, a town in the eastern outskirts of Abu Dhabi. It was 12.3 degrees in Al Ain, 11.9 degrees in Falaj Al Mualla, 10.9 degrees in Hatta, 10.4 degrees in Sweihan, 15 degrees at Abu Dhabi airport, and 18 degrees at Dubai airport. According to the NCMS bulletin, the weather will be fair in general with mild temperatures in the daytime.
It could be pleasant and cold in some internal and mountainous areas at night and early in the morning in the next 48 hours. Winds will be light to moderately rough.
The sea will be slightly rough with two-to-four-foot waves. Relative humidity is expected to increase, causing mist and fog in some places, especially in the western areas.
