Winter begins today and the temperature reaches below zero in some areas of the country

The National Center of Meteorology announced that winter begins astronomically in the northern hemisphere in the last third of December, specifically on December 22.

The Siberian High is the prevailing weather system during the winter period in the surface layer, as it extends to the Arabian Gulf region, and is accompanied by northwesterly winds that are sometimes active, or northeasterly winds, which leads to the flow of a cold air mass that causes a noticeable drop in temperatures over the country during this season, especially at night and early morning hours.

Temperatures may reach below zero degrees Celsius in some inland and mountainous areas, stressing that the climate in the UAE and the atmosphere in winter in general, and the diversity of the country’s weather, is suitable for various sports and recreational activities, and is considered a stimulating and attractive climate.

The center explained that during this season the country is exposed to the passage of several air depressions, such as the air depression coming from the Red Sea side, the air depression from the Mediterranean Sea, as well as the extension of the air depression from the east.

These depressions lead to increased amounts of clouds and rainfall.

Fog also forms during this season if the country is affected by a state of atmospheric stability, high humidity, and calm winds.

He pointed out that the weather in the UAE is characterized by diversity in the winter, due to the diversity of the terrain as well as the country’s distinct geographical location in the Arabian Gulf, as it overlooks the Arabian Gulf from the north, and the Sea of ​​Oman and the Arabian Sea from the east, in addition to the presence of mountains in the east and north, and the Empty Quarter desert to the south and west.

The center pointed out that this diversity leads to a diversity of weather during the winter; The weather in desert areas (land) tends to be cold or cool at night and early in the morning, while it is moderate during the day. As for the mountainous areas and highlands, the weather is cold most of the time and cold at night and in the morning, due to its height above sea level, as the height of Jebel Jais – for example – is about 1,800 metres.

As for the coastal areas, the weather is moderate most of the time. In the coastal areas, most days of winter are mild, and the wave height on the coast is between one to two feet, and thus it is suitable for practicing marine activities and water sports.

The center expected that the country would witness some days of winter rain with cloud cover, which would give a feeling of comfort and a desire to go out to open areas. Note that the rain may sometimes be heavy in some areas and on limited days, which leads to the flow of valleys in the mountainous areas, and a beautiful scene is formed with the water flowing in the reefs, but it is necessary to take caution and not approach these places.

The center said: “With regard to winds, they are most of the time light to moderate, which provides the opportunity to engage in activities, hiking, and camping. Light and moderate winds on most days of winter help in this. This is the rule, and the exception is the presence of brisk winds on some days. As for the relative humidity in winter, it is not annoying in general, but on some days it may cause fog to form, especially when it rises significantly in the early morning period and weather conditions stabilize, which causes the fog to continue on some days during the early hours of the day.”

The center indicated that, according to the climate statistics for the winter in the country, the average maximum temperatures in the winter are: 24-27 degrees Celsius, the average minimum temperatures in the winter are: 14-16 degrees Celsius, the average relative humidity in the winter is: 55-64%, while the average wind speed in the winter is: 11-13 km/hour.