Weather and climate in Abu Dhabi
If you’re a sun lover, you’ll be in your element in Abu Dhabi, where it’s blue skies, dry days and high temperatures all the way. Enjoy up to 13 hours of glorious sunshine in May and June, and a daily average of 10 hours of sunshine in December.
As it rarely rains in this subtropical desert country, you’d be unlucky to catch any showers at all in the summer months. It might rain briefly around three days a month in the winter, so chances are you won’t need an umbrella. The ‘rainy season’, if you can call it that, lasts for less than two months from January 21 to March 10, with frequent showers around February 6. The highest amount of rain likely to fall in a year is only 8cm.
The mercury in the thermometer climbs to 36°C in July and August and can even top 40°C. Make sure you pack plenty of sunscreen, wear a hat, keep hydrated and stay out of the sun between 11am and 3pm.
If you’d rather stay cooler, visit Abu Dhabi in January, when the temperature can drop as low as 12°C but averages around a balmy 18°C. It can be as warm as 24°C with nine hours of sunshine, so you can still make your friends jealous by topping up your tan while you’re out there. There’s also more of a pleasant breeze in the winter.
You might find the weather in Abu Dhabi just right during the transitional spring and autumn months of March, April and November, when temperatures average around 26°C. Perfect for relaxing on the beach and working on your tan, swimming or sightseeing, while crowds are manageable and hotel rates reasonable.If you’re the type of person who gingerly edges into the sea and hates swimming in bracingly cold water, you’ll find the waters off Abu Dhabi surprisingly warm. In fact, you almost feel like you’re in your bath at home, except with much better spectacular views. The sea temperature is a toasty 33°C in August and only drops to a very pleasant 22°C in January.
Humidity is fairly constant throughout the year, averaging around 60%. It can get quite sticky at the height of the summer so you’ll be glad to have your hotel air conditioning. Visibility is six miles with skies more overcast and cloudy in the summer, but still more likely to be clear and sunny.
Even though you’ll mostly be in lightweight, loose t-shirts and shorts because of the heat, you should take a few more layers and conservative clothes for trips to mosques and public areas. Here you will need to cover your shoulders and knees and preferably wear long-sleeved tops, trousers or long skirts. Another layer can also be handy indoors to take the chill off powerful air conditioning and for winter evenings.
