Winter Solstice 2025: December 21 marks UAE’s shortest day and longest night

Dubai: Residents across the UAE woke up to early morning chilly winds this Sunday, December 21, 2025. These cool gusts, sweeping in from the Arabian Gulf and down from the Hajar Mountains, signal the official arrival of the Winter Solstice. It marks a significant astronomical turning point for the region, bringing the shortest day and the longest night of the year.

The Winter Solstice is not just a calendar date but a specific moment in time. In the UAE, the solstice will occur today at exactly 7:03 pm GST ( Gulf Standard Time).The Solstice occurs at the precise moment when the Earth’s North Pole is tilted at its maximum angle of 23.5 degrees away from the sun. From the UAE’s perspective, the sun will trace its lowest and shortest path across the southern horizon. Today, the country will experience approximately 10 hours and 34 minutes of daylight. This positioning is why the midday sun feels much weaker and more comfortable than the intense, overhead heat experienced during the summer months.

While today is the 'shortest' day, it does not immediately bring the coldest temperatures of the season. The UAE climate is influenced by 'seasonal lag,' a phenomenon where the land and sea retain heat absorbed during the autumn. The Arabian Gulf, in particular, acts as a large thermal reservoir that cools down slowly. It typically takes several weeks of shorter days and reduced solar intensity for this stored heat to dissipate. Consequently, the coldest nights in the UAE are usually recorded in January and early February, when temperatures can drop significantly in the desert and mountainous areas.

The solstice also marks the beginning of 'Al-Murbaniyah' in the traditional folk calendar of the Arabian Peninsula. This 40-day period is known for the arrival of the 'Shamal' winds, the northwesterly winds that bring cooler air masses from the Mediterranean. These winds are responsible for the cold snaps that residents are starting to feel today. They also bring an increase in humidity and the potential for the heavy morning fogs that often blanket cities like Abu Dhabi and Dubai during the winter months.

Across the country, the impact of these changes is already visible. In the northern emirates, particularly near Jebel Jais, the morning wind chill has pushed temperatures toward the low teens. In the inland desert regions of Al Ain and Liwa, the long night ahead will allow heat to escape the sand quickly, leading to a sharp drop in temperature after sunset. For most residents, however, the arrival of the solstice is a welcome event, as it confirms that the most pleasant outdoor weather of the year has officially settled in.

As the sun sets early this evening, the UAE will enter its longest night, providing ideal conditions for the growing number of people heading to the desert for weekend camping and stargazing. While the days will slowly begin to lengthen starting tomorrow, the cooling cycle triggered by today’s solstice will continue to define the climate for the next two months. This period remains the most stable and best time for outdoor activities across the Emirates.