On Saturday, the United Arab Emirates recorded an extraordinary temperature of 51.6 degrees Celsius, surpassing its previous May temperature record for the second consecutive day. This nation, located in one of the hottest areas of the world, faces heightened risks of severe heat waves as a consequence of climate change.
According to the National Center of Meteorology, the high of 51.6 degrees Celsius was documented in Sweihan (Al Ain) at 13:45 UAE local time (0945 GMT), marking a 1.2-degree increase from Friday’s reading in the Abu Dhabi region.
These recent temperatures have exceeded the former record for May, which stood at 50.2 degrees Celsius, established in 2009, as reported by meteorological authorities.
As a leading global oil exporter, the UAE is situated in a climate zone particularly susceptible to the impacts of climate change.
Researchers have indicated that ongoing heatwaves are a definitive sign of global warming, with expectations that such events will grow more common, prolonged, and intense.
Over the last thirty years, the number of extreme heat days around the globe has nearly doubled.