The climate of Dubai, the most populous of the United Arab Emirates, is subtropical desert, with very mild or pleasantly warm winters, and scorchingly hot summers, when the combination of temperature and humidity makes the heat really oppressive. In fact, in summer, the wind usually blows directly from the sea, bringing moisture from the Persian Gulf.

The average temperature ranges from 19.5 °C (67.5 °F) in January to 36.5 °C (98 °F) in August. Here are the average temperatures.

Every so often, from December to February, and more rarely in March, there can be some cool days, with lows around 10/12 °C (50/54 °F) and highs around 16/18 °C (61/64 °F).

In contrast, when the southerly winds blow, the temperature can get close to 30 °C (86 °F) in winter, while in spring and autumn, ie already in April and again in October, it can reach 40 °C (104 °F). In summer, it goes obviously even worse: in July and August, the temperature can reach as high as 47/48 °C (117/118 °F). However, on the positive side, when the wind blows from the south, ie from the Arabian Desert, relative humidity decreases.

Precipitation is poor, and amounts to 100 millimeters (4 inches) per year; most of the rainfall occurs from December to March or April. The rains usually occur in the form of showers, brief but intense. In summer, it never rains. Here is the average precipitation.

The wind is often lively. In winter and spring, there may be strong winds, from February to April, but sometimes, this can happen also in summer. The wind can raise sand and dust storms.



The amount of sunshine in Dubai is great all year round: blue skies are the norm. However, from December to March, some cloud banks can affect this area, which can sometimes produce some showers, while in summer, there can be some cloudiness brought by the monsoon of southern Arabia, which produces very little effects here. Here are the average sunshine hours per day.

The sea in Dubai is warm enough for swimming all year round, although the water temperature drops to 23 °C (73 °F) from January to March. In summer, the Persian Gulf is one of the warmest seas in the world, and the water temperature exceeds 30 °C (86 °F) from June to October, so it's possible to take long swims. Here are the average sea temperatures.

Tropical cyclones

In theory, Dubai could be reached by tropical cyclones, although in general, cyclones do not penetrate the Persian Gulf but stop in the Gulf of Oman. Cyclones form from May to December, and are more frequent at the beginning of the period (May-June) and a little less at the end (October-December).

Best Time

The best time to visit Dubai is from December to February, in order to avoid the heat that reigns supreme for many months a year.
During summer, the heat is so intense that it can be uncomfortable even to stay under the beach umbrella. Usually, in winter, the air temperature is high enough to sunbathe, except in the coolest days. Hence, the best months for swimming and sun bathing are March and November, although in the first part of March, it can sometimes get a bit cool, and in any case, the sea in March is not as warm as in November. In April, some days are acceptable, while at other times, the temperature can already reach 40 °C (104 °F).
Fortunately, public buildings and hotels are equipped with air conditioning.