Dubai (AFP) – The United Arab Emirates registered a scorching 50.4°C on Friday, marking the highest temperature ever recorded in May since records began in 2003, according to the National Center of Meteorology (NCM). The previous record was 50.2°C in 2009.
The record-breaking temperature was logged in Abu Dhabi, intensifying the already sweltering heat that has gripped the desert nation. Worshippers at Friday prayers reported feeling faint, with some residents visibly struggling in the extreme heat.
“This weather is unbearably hot,” said a 26-year-old Abu Dhabi resident who prayed outside a crowded mosque. “I was drenched in sweat and felt like I was about to faint.”
High humidity, reaching up to 80% in parts of Abu Dhabi, worsened the conditions. “The air had no oxygen,” said Youssef, 45, a hot air balloon operator in Dubai. Another resident described seeing someone “swaying left and right” before collapsing.
The UAE, which hosted the COP28 climate summit in 2023, has just emerged from a record April with an average high of 42.6°C. Scientists link such heatwaves to global warming, warning they are becoming more frequent, intense, and prolonged.
According to the International Labour Organization, over 83% of outdoor workers in Arab states face excessive heat exposure. A 2022 Greenpeace report also found the Middle East is warming nearly twice as fast as the global average, increasing the risk of water and food scarcity.
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Unbearable heat 🔥🤯
Stay hydrated.