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Significant change in weather predicted; temperatures dipping to 5 degrees Celsius

With UAE residents gearing up for a long night of celebrations and revelry, a ‘significant change’ in weather is being reported, which could very well play a dampener on your New Year’s Eve plans if you don’t take head.

The good news is, you may pack that umbrella away for the night, because the UAE’s National Centre for Meteorology and Seismology have revealed that while rain clouds will gradually gather over the country in the coming hours, the wet weather is only expected to hit in the early hours of January 2, giving an all clear for the December 31 outdoor NYE celebrations.

This would certainly give a sigh of relief to the organisers of Dubai World Record 2014 as they attempt to shatter the Kuwaiti record of the largest fireworks display along The Palm Jumeirah and The World Islands shoreline; for the 30,000-odd people celebrating on the manmade island, the news brings good tidings as 17,000 of this number alone will be partying at the outdoor venue of Nasimi Beach at the Sandance NYE celebrations.

Meanwhile, at the other end of the city, Emaar and the visitors at Downtown Dubai will also be pleased that no cloudy skies will mar the special effects and the fireworks display that will light up Burj Khalifa on the night.

For those who plan on hopping aboard the Roads and Transport Authority water buses, water taxis or the Dubai Ferry to catch the fireworks from the vantage point off the coast of Dubai beach, a spokesperson for the NCMS said: “While we are reporting rough seas and high winds in the Arabian Gulf and the Sea of Oman on December 31, the impact of this will only be felt off shore, much further away from the coastal stretch of Dubai.”

Meanwhile, the mercury is expected to rise slightly on December 31 and January 1, hitting highs of 26 degrees Celsius by mid-day along the coastal areas, those planning on partying outdoors may want to pack that sweater along with lows of 10 degrees Celsius, coupled with 40km/h winds, could bring a chill in the air.

Those planning on camping up in the mountains for their December 31st celebrations, do take note that temperatures could hit lows of 5 degrees Celsius in the early hours, before sunrise.

The NCMS spokesperson continued: “As the rain clouds build up over January 1st, we can expect rain to hit in areas, especially over the islands by early hours of January 2, with temperatures also dipping a few degrees into the New Year.”