Winter is when Dubai and Abu Dhabi are pleasant rather than punishing. In Dubai, days average 26.5°C in December, 24.4°C in January and 26.1°C in February, with nights around 16°C. November and March are hotter, at 30.7°C and 28.9°C by day. Abu Dhabi is almost the same by day and a little cooler at night at its airport. Winter is also the UAE's rainy season, which in Dubai means 1.9 to 3.4 rain days a month on average.
Below: five emirates compared on official climate averages, the answer month by month, the whole year in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, and how to pick a month.
UAE Weather in Winter: the Table
These figures are the World Meteorological Organization's 1991-2020 climate normals, the official averages for the UAE's airport weather stations, as archived by the US National Centers for Environmental Information (WMO climate normals). "Day high" and "night low" are the average daily maximum and minimum from November to March, and a rain day is a day with 1 mm or more. Fujairah is on the Gulf of Oman coast, across the mountains from the other four. Sorted warmest by day first.
| Station | Day high | Night low | Rain, Nov to Mar | Rain days, Nov to Mar |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ras Al Khaimah | 28.4°C | 14.7°C | 106 mm | 14.7 |
| Sharjah | 27.8°C | 15.1°C | 83 mm | 13.8 |
| Abu Dhabi | 27.6°C | 16.3°C | 44 mm | 12.3 |
| Dubai | 27.3°C | 17.7°C | 73 mm | 13.9 |
| Fujairah (east coast) | 27.2°C | 19.4°C | 90 mm | 12.2 |
The spread by day is small: all five average between 27.2°C and 28.4°C over the winter. Nights differ more. Fujairah has the mildest nights, at 19.4°C, and Ras Al Khaimah the coolest, at 14.7°C, so Ras Al Khaimah has both the warmest days and the coolest nights of the five.
Save your Dubai shortlist to a map in Dream Trip and see your beach clubs, souks and desert trips side by side before you book.
Month by Month
Day high / night low at four stations:
| Month | Dubai | Abu Dhabi | Ras Al Khaimah | Fujairah |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| November | 30.7°C / 21.1°C | 31.0°C / 19.6°C | 32.0°C / 17.5°C | 30.2°C / 22.5°C |
| December | 26.5°C / 17.3°C | 26.5°C / 15.7°C | 27.4°C / 13.8°C | 26.7°C / 18.9°C |
| January | 24.4°C / 15.3°C | 24.5°C / 13.8°C | 25.2°C / 12.2°C | 24.8°C / 17.1°C |
| February | 26.1°C / 16.4°C | 26.5°C / 15.0°C | 27.0°C / 13.6°C | 25.9°C / 18.1°C |
| March | 28.9°C / 18.6°C | 29.7°C / 17.5°C | 30.3°C / 16.2°C | 28.6°C / 20.5°C |
November: Dubai averages 30.7°C by day and 21.1°C at night, Abu Dhabi 31.0°C and 19.6°C. Ras Al Khaimah is the warmest by day (32.0°C) and Fujairah the mildest at night (22.5°C). Dubai gets 6 mm of rain in the month, on 1.9 days.
December: Dubai averages 26.5°C by day and 17.3°C at night, Abu Dhabi 26.5°C and 15.7°C. Ras Al Khaimah is the warmest by day (27.4°C) and Fujairah the mildest at night (18.9°C). Dubai gets 15 mm of rain in the month, on 3.4 days.
January: Dubai averages 24.4°C by day and 15.3°C at night, Abu Dhabi 24.5°C and 13.8°C. Ras Al Khaimah is the warmest by day (25.2°C) and Fujairah the mildest at night (17.1°C). Dubai gets 21 mm of rain in the month, on 2.8 days.
February: Dubai averages 26.1°C by day and 16.4°C at night, Abu Dhabi 26.5°C and 15.0°C. Ras Al Khaimah is the warmest by day (27.0°C) and Fujairah the mildest at night (18.1°C). Dubai gets 10 mm of rain in the month, on 2.4 days.
March: Dubai averages 28.9°C by day and 18.6°C at night, Abu Dhabi 29.7°C and 17.5°C. Ras Al Khaimah is the warmest by day (30.3°C) and Fujairah the mildest at night (20.5°C). Dubai gets 22 mm of rain in the month, on 3.4 days.
For each month in more detail, with the sea temperature, see our Dubai pages for November, December, January, February and March, and the Abu Dhabi pages for November, December, January, February and March. Those pages use a model average for each city, which can differ from these airport normals: by up to 2°C by day, and by up to 4°C at night in Abu Dhabi, whose airport is on the mainland rather than on the city's island.
Is Dubai Hot in Winter?
Warm, not hot, in the middle of winter. January is Dubai's coolest month, at 24.4°C (76°F) by day and 15.3°C (60°F) at night. August is its hottest, at 41.9°C, so a January day is about 18°C cooler than a summer one.
Dubai averages 30°C or less by day only from December to March. Those are the months for walking the old town, the souks and the waterfront in the middle of the day. Bring a light layer for the evenings in January and February, when nights average 15.3°C and 16.4°C.
Dubai or Abu Dhabi in Winter?
There is almost nothing in it by day. From November to March, Abu Dhabi averages 27.6°C and Dubai 27.3°C. At night Abu Dhabi's airport station, on the mainland, is 1.4°C cooler, at 16.3°C against 17.7°C. Abu Dhabi is also drier: 44 mm of rain in the five months, against 73 mm in Dubai.
So choose on the trip, not the weather. You can also do both: the two cities are close enough for a day trip, and our 3 days in Dubai itinerary covers an Abu Dhabi day trip as an option for your last day.
Does It Rain in Dubai in Winter?
A little, and winter is when it does. Dubai gets 79 mm of rain in an average year, and 92% of it falls from November to March, on about 14 rain days in those five months. Ras Al Khaimah is the wettest of the five stations in winter (106 mm) and Abu Dhabi the driest (44 mm). From May to September it barely rains at all.
Dubai and Abu Dhabi Weather Through the Year
The whole year, average temperatures by month. Each month links to our Dubai weather page for that month.
| Month | Dubai day high | Dubai night low | Abu Dhabi day high | Abu Dhabi night low | Rain in Dubai |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 24.4°C | 15.3°C | 24.5°C | 13.8°C | 21 mm |
| February | 26.1°C | 16.4°C | 26.5°C | 15.0°C | 10 mm |
| March | 28.9°C | 18.6°C | 29.7°C | 17.5°C | 22 mm |
| April | 33.7°C | 22.3°C | 35.0°C | 21.1°C | 3 mm |
| May | 38.2°C | 26.1°C | 39.6°C | 24.6°C | under 1 mm |
| June | 40.3°C | 28.6°C | 41.4°C | 27.0°C | under 1 mm |
| July | 41.5°C | 31.2°C | 42.5°C | 29.7°C | 1 mm |
| August | 41.9°C | 31.5°C | 43.4°C | 30.2°C | under 1 mm |
| September | 39.5°C | 28.9°C | 40.9°C | 27.4°C | under 1 mm |
| October | 35.9°C | 25.4°C | 36.6°C | 23.7°C | 2 mm |
| November | 30.7°C | 21.1°C | 31.0°C | 19.6°C | 6 mm |
| December | 26.5°C | 17.3°C | 26.5°C | 15.7°C | 15 mm |
Which Emirate Is Warmest in Winter?
- Warmest days: Ras Al Khaimah, at 28.4°C on average from November to March, 32.0°C in November.
- Mildest nights: Fujairah on the east coast, at 19.4°C. It is also the coolest by day, so the gap between day and night is the smallest there.
- Coolest nights: Ras Al Khaimah, at 14.7°C.
- Driest: Abu Dhabi, with 44 mm of rain over the five months.
How to Choose a Month
- November: the warmest winter month for the beach, at 30.7°C by day in Dubai and 6 mm of rain.
- December and the festive weeks: 26.5°C by day in Dubai. See our Christmas sun holidays guide for how it compares with the Canaries, Egypt and long haul.
- January and February: the coolest months, best for sightseeing on foot, with a light layer for the evenings.
- March: warming up again, 28.9°C by day in Dubai, and the wettest winter month at four of the five stations.
Dubai is about 7 hours non-stop from London and four hours ahead of the UK in winter. For warm places closer to home, see winter sun holidays from the UK, and for the Red Sea, the warmest place in Egypt in winter.
Before you book: the UK government's travel advice for the UAE was updated in October 2026 and warns that regional tensions could bring flight cancellations, airspace closures and other disruption. Read the FCDO travel advice for the UAE and check your travel insurance.
Plan It in Dream Trip
A Dubai trip usually starts as a pile of saved TikToks, Instagram reels and Google Maps pins: a brunch spot, a beach club, a souk, a desert camp. Dream Trip puts them on one map.
- Save what you find: send the places you see on TikTok, Instagram and Google Maps to one map.
- See the city together: check which saves sit in Old Dubai, Downtown or the Marina, and which belong in an Abu Dhabi day.
- Plan the days: let Dream Trip's AI draft a day-by-day plan on a live map, and share the trip with whoever you are going with.
Dream Trip is an iPhone app, free to download on the App Store. After you sign in, you need a Dream Trip Pro subscription to use the app. Dream Trip Pro prices are shown in the app and on the App Store before you buy, and can vary by country.
Start your Dubai shortlist in Dream Trip.
FAQ
What is the weather like in Dubai in November?
Hot by day and warm at night. Dubai averages 30.7°C by day and 21.1°C at night, Abu Dhabi 31.0°C and 19.6°C. Ras Al Khaimah is the warmest by day (32.0°C) and Fujairah the mildest at night (22.5°C). Dubai gets 6 mm of rain in the month, on 1.9 days. See Dubai weather in November.
What is the weather like in Abu Dhabi in November?
Almost the same as Dubai: 31.0°C by day and 19.6°C at night, with 2 mm of rain in the month. See Abu Dhabi weather in November.
Is Dubai warm in December?
Yes. December in Dubai averages 26.5°C (80°F) by day and 17.3°C at night, with 15 mm of rain in the month. See Dubai weather in December.
How cold does Dubai get in January?
Not cold. January is Dubai's coolest month, at 24.4°C by day and 15.3°C at night on average. Ras Al Khaimah has the coolest January nights of the five stations, at 12.2°C.
What is the weather like in Dubai in February?
Much like January, a touch warmer: Dubai averages 26.1°C by day and 16.4°C at night, Abu Dhabi 26.5°C and 15.0°C. Ras Al Khaimah is the warmest by day (27.0°C) and Fujairah the mildest at night (18.1°C). Dubai gets 10 mm of rain in the month, on 2.4 days.
What is the weather like in Dubai in March?
Warming up: Dubai averages 28.9°C by day and 18.6°C at night, Abu Dhabi 29.7°C and 17.5°C. Ras Al Khaimah is the warmest by day (30.3°C) and Fujairah the mildest at night (20.5°C). Dubai gets 22 mm of rain in the month, on 3.4 days. See Dubai weather in March.
What is the average temperature in Dubai by month?
From 24.4°C by day in January to 41.9°C in August, with nights from 15.3°C to 31.5°C. The table above has every month.
When is the best time to visit Dubai for good weather?
December to March, when Dubai averages 30°C or less by day, with December to February the coolest. November, at 30.7°C, suits the beach more than long walks. Avoid high summer: August is the hottest month in Abu Dhabi, at 43.4°C by day.
