UAE temperatures to rise up to 5°C in April, NCM says

Abu Dhabi: The UAE is set to see rapidly changing weather conditions throughout April, with temperatures expected to rise gradually across most parts of the country by between three and five degrees compared with March, according to the National Centre of Meteorology (NCM).

In its monthly outlook, the NCM said April marks part of the country’s first transitional season, spring, a period typically characterised by fluctuating atmospheric pressure systems in the lower layers of the atmosphere that often lead to swift and sometimes unpredictable weather changes.

NCM noted that the sun’s apparent movement northwards towards the Tropic of Cancer will continue during the month, resulting in longer daylight hours across the northern hemisphere and a steady increase in temperatures across the UAE.

The centre also said the influence of the Siberian high-pressure system is expected to weaken during April, while the country may increasingly be affected by extensions of low-pressure systems moving from west to east, including troughs associated with the Red Sea and other eastern weather systems. When these systems deepen, cloud cover may increase over some areas, bringing chances of rainfall.

Humidity levels are also expected to decline slightly compared with March, particularly during the second half of the month. However, the NCM said there will still be a chance of fog and light mist forming in scattered areas, especially during the early part of April, with such conditions expected to become less frequent later in the month.

In its short-term forecast, the NCM also predicted intermittent rainfall of varying intensity, ranging from light to moderate, across parts of the country between Saturday and the end of the coming week. The unsettled conditions are expected to be accompanied by a drop in temperatures, fresh north-westerly winds that may raise dust, and rough to very rough sea conditions at times.