Winter begins in the UAE, bringing shorter days and cooler temperatures

Dubai: Winter in the UAE began on Sunday and will continue until March 20, bringing a season defined by shorter days, cooler temperatures and shifting weather patterns, according to astronomers.

Ibrahim Al Jarwan, Board Chairman of the Emirates Astronomical Society and a member of the Arab Union for Astronomy and Space Sciences, said the winter season has begun astronomically with the winter solstice, which occurred this year on December 21 at 7:03pm UAE time. The season will last until the spring equinox on March 20. 

Astronomically, winter begins when the sun reaches its lowest apparent position south of the Earth, directly above the Tropic of Capricorn, an event that occurs annually on December 21 or 22 in the Northern Hemisphere. 

Climatically, however, winter is generally considered to start at the beginning of December, when temperatures begin to fall and colder conditions set in across much of the northern half of the globe.

The start of winter also brings the longest nights of the year. In the UAE, daylight at the beginning of the season lasts for about 10 hours and 32 minutes, making it the shortest day of the year. From this point onward, daylight gradually increases until night and day become equal again just before the spring equinox.

Al Jarwan noted that the period known traditionally as the “Quadrant of Winter” begins in parts of the Levant and Iraq with the winter solstice. Across the Arabian Peninsula, the coldest conditions are typically felt from mid-December to mid-February. 

During this time, minimum temperatures often drop below 15°C in coastal areas and fall under 10°C in inland desert regions and mountainous areas. In parts of the central Arabian Peninsula, temperatures can dip below 5°C, while higher elevations above 1,800 metres and northern areas may experience sub-zero conditions.

The region is also periodically affected by cold air masses during winter. These are often associated with low-pressure systems passing through every seven to ten days, leading to temperature drops of at least four degrees Celsius below seasonal averages.

According to Al Jarwan, temperatures at the start of winter typically range between 12°C at night and 25°C during the day. By mid-February, these averages rise gradually to around 15°C to 28°C, reaching approximately 18°C to 32°C by the end of the season as spring approaches.

Winter in the UAE is also characterised by northerly and north-westerly winds, which can be active at times. Strong, cold “Shamal” winds and the locally known “Na’shi” winds are most common from early January through late February. During this period, sea conditions in the Arabian Gulf tend to fluctuate, alternating between calm spells and rougher waters.