The UAE continues to battle a fierce heatwave as temperatures soared to a scorching 50.5°C on Tuesday, June 17, according to the National Centre of Meteorology (NCM). The record high was logged at 2:30 PM in Sweihan, Al Ain—one of the country’s usual hotspots during summer extremes.
This marks the third time this month that Sweihan has breached the 50-degree mark, following earlier highs of 50.1°C on June 13 and 50.8°C on June 9. The relentless rise in heat follows an already blistering May, which was declared the UAE’s hottest in over 20 years. On May 24, Sweihan recorded a sweltering 51.6°C, the highest temperature ever documented in the country for that month.
As summer officially approaches, the Dubai Astronomy Group has confirmed that the summer solstice will begin on June 21 at 6:42 AM UAE time. The solstice will usher in the longest days of the year, with sunlight stretching up to 13 hours and 43 minutes from June 18 to 24.
The first half of the summer season—running until August 10—is expected to bring more intense heat, with average daytime highs between 41°C and 43°C, and nighttime lows ranging from 26°C to 29°C.