UAE Has Hottest April on Record as Average Daily High Tops 42C

(Bloomberg) -- The United Arab Emirates had its hottest April in records going back more than two decades, with an average daily maximum temperature of 42.6C (109F). 

Climate change, combined with hot, dry winds blowing off the Saudi desert, resulted in unusually high temperatures, according to the UAE’s National Center of Meteorology, which tracks data as far back as 2003. Ahmed Habib, a specialist meteorologist at NCM, forecasts the temperature in May will be “slighter higher” than previous averages.

The NCM issued heat advisories throughout April, urging residents to stay hydrated, ensure proper ventilation of enclosed spaces and avoid outdoor activities during the hottest parts of the day. A peak of 46.6C was recorded at Tawiyen on April 27, NCM data show. 

A warming planet is having far-reaching consequences in the Middle East. It upended Egypt’s natural gas market as scorching summers turned the country from a net exporter to an importer of the fuel to meet cooling demand. Kuwait has been forced to ration electricity to ease pressure on its grid, while last year’s Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia turned deadly, with hundreds of lives lost to extreme heat. 

The UAE is taking special measures to protect its commercial nuclear power station from climate change, with state-run agencies monitoring the environment around the Barakah plant from space. 

©2025 Bloomberg L.P.