Al Ain: A prolonged summer is expected this year with the mercury hitting above-normal heights in the three hottest months — June, July and August — across the emirates as hot south-easterly winds dominate the country's climate, weather experts said.

People in the western region of Abu Dhabi have already experienced the hottest day ever when the maximum temperature shot up to 53 Celsius a few days ago. Similarly fierce days were suffered by the residents of Sweihan, a town to the west of Al Ain, last week.

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"We expect above-normal temperatures this summer at times, but 80C is impossible," said a forecaster while commenting on a foreign Arabic newspaper report. The report said that temperatures might hit 80C in some parts of Saudi Arabia.

"It has never happened even in Africa and other hot regions of the world. It is simply beyond imagination and impossible," he said.

He said people must not pay attention to such rumours. "It is, however, expected to have a prolonged summer this year with above-normal temperatures," he said. Weather data predict a long spell of south-easterly winds across the UAE which means they will push heatwaves from the Empty Quarter (a desert bordering the UAE and Saudi Arabia) to the emirates.

There will, however, be some brief spells of cooler north-westerly winds that will help reduce the dry and hot spells a few degrees. The UAE has currently been suffering from a heatwave originating in southern Saudi Arabia, he added.

The forecaster said people must pay attention to the advice of health experts as weather conditions are dangerous for all prolonged outdoor activities. Health experts have been advising people to limit their strenuous outdoor activities as they are at risk of heatstroke and other illnesses.

According to the National Centre of Meteorology and Seismology (NCMS), the weather is expected to be hot to very hot in the next few days becoming hazy at times in the daytime. Some low clouds may come over the eastern mountains in late afternoon.

Light to moderate winds are expected to blow in most areas and they may kick up dust and sands at times in some areas. They may reduce visibility. The sea is expected to remain moderate in general.

Yesterday the hottest places were Sweihan and Ghuwaifat, a border town with Saudi Arabia, that continue to bake under the hot summer sun with the maximum temperature reaching 47.8C.

The minimum and maximum temperatures were 28C-46C in the coastal areas, 26C-48C in the interior, and 26C- 37C in the mountains.