By Staff Reporter
Winter in the UAE will officially come to an end on March 20, when the spring equinox marks the astronomical start of the new season. While many residents may begin to feel warmer temperatures before then, the formal shift from winter to spring is determined by the sun’s position relative to the equator.
According to Ibrahim Al Jarwan, chairman of the Emirates Astronomy Society and a member of the Arab Union for Astronomy and Space Sciences, winter in the UAE begins astronomically with the winter solstice, when the sun reaches its southernmost point in the sky. This year, the solstice occurred on December 21 at 7.03pm UAE time. The season continues until the sun crosses the equator on March 20, ushering in spring.
Astronomically, winter starts when the sun appears directly above the Tropic of Capricorn in the southern hemisphere, marking the shortest day and longest night of the year in the northern hemisphere. In the UAE, daylight at the start of winter drops to about 10 hours and 32 minutes between sunrise and sunset. From that point onward, daylight gradually increases until day and night are equal at the spring equinox.
In practical terms, however, seasonal change in the UAE is influenced more by climate than astronomy. Meteorologists generally consider winter to begin in early December, when temperatures fall and cooler air masses dominate. Across the Arabian Peninsula, the coldest period typically runs from mid-December to mid-February.
During this time, minimum temperatures in coastal areas often dip below 15°C, while inland desert and mountainous regions can record lows below 10°C. In some higher elevations across the wider Arabian Peninsula, temperatures may approach freezing. The early part of winter also coincides with the “Marba’iniya”, a 40-day period of peak cold recognised in parts of the Levant and Iraq.
From January through February, strong northerly and north-westerly winds are more active in the Gulf region, sometimes bringing dust, rough seas and sudden temperature fluctuations. As February progresses, temperatures begin to rise steadily. Average winter temperatures in the UAE range from lows of around 12°C and highs near 25°C at the start of the season, increasing to approximately 15°C to 28°C by mid-season. By the end of winter, readings typically reach between 18°C and 32°C.
Spring, which begins astronomically on March 20, is defined by the sun appearing directly over the equator, resulting in equal lengths of day and night. After this point, the sun moves northwards and daylight continues to increase. Between late April and August, the sun becomes more directly positioned over the southern Arabian Peninsula, reaching its northernmost point at the summer solstice in June.
In the UAE, early spring is usually mild, with minimum temperatures near 18°C and highs around 32°C. As the season advances, temperatures can climb to between 21°C and 38°C, rising further towards the end of spring when highs may reach 41°C. The season is also associated with shifting winds and occasional weather disturbances known locally as “Sarayat”, which can bring rain and thunderstorms. On average, spring rainfall accounts for about 12 per cent of the UAE’s annual total.
Sea and land breezes become more noticeable during this period as temperature contrasts between land and water increase. Strong north-westerly winds, locally referred to as “Al Arba’een Al Shamaliyah”, may at times carry dust across the region. Meanwhile, the tropical weather season in the northern Indian Ocean and Arabian Sea typically begins in early May and continues until mid-July, peaking in June. On average, at least one tropical cyclone forms in the Arabian Sea every three years, with more than 25 recorded over the past five decades.
