UAE breaks May temperature record two days in a row, reaching 51.6°C (124.9°F)
The United Arab Emirates recorded 51.6°C (124.9°F) in the town of Sweihan, Al Ain Region, Emirate of Abu Dhabi, at 13:45 LT (09:45 UTC) on May 25, 2025, breaking the country’s May temperature record for the second consecutive day, just 0.4°C (0.7°F) below the all-time national maximum.
Satellite image of UAE acquired on May 24, 2025. Credit: CopernicusEU/Sentinel-2, EO Browser, The Watchers
The temperature recorded in Sweihan, located approximately 97 km (60 miles) west of Abu Dhabi, marked the second consecutive day of record-breaking heat in the United Arab Emirates. On the previous day, May 24, the capital city of Abu Dhabi recorded 50.4°C (122.7°F), surpassing the previous May high of 50.2°C (122.4°F) set in 2009.
According to the National Center of Meteorology (NCM), the current all-time high temperature record in the UAE remains 52°C (125.6°F), observed on Al Yasat Island in 2010.
Saturday’s extreme heat in Sweihan was part of a wider pattern of unusually high temperatures affecting the country.
In Dubai, temperatures reached the mid-40s°C (113°F), prompting reports from residents about vehicle air conditioning systems struggling to function. Local vendors noted an increase in sales of cold beverages, with many residents opting to remain outdoors despite the heat.
This record-breaking event follows an abnormally hot April in the UAE, where the average daily high temperature reached 42.6°C (108.7°F), according to national meteorological data.
Teo Blašković founded The Watchers in 2011 and edited it until 2026, covering seismic and volcanic activity, extreme weather, space weather and near-Earth objects. Articles on this page are his archive.
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