Photos: File photos
It was on this day, February 3, 2017 that temperatures in the UAE hit its lowest ever – a chilly -5.7°C. And it was on Ras Al Khaimah’s Jebel Jais mountain, the country’s highest peak.
The Jais Mountain cluster is situated around 25 kilometres from Ras Al Khaimah City and normally has significantly lower temperatures even during the peak summer months.
It is a famous tourist destination in the UAE where there is Jais Adventure Park (JAP) known for the world’s longest zipline, the high-octane sledder ride, and stunning mountain views.
A welcome respite
Winter in the UAE, typically from November to March, usually brings a welcome respite from the scorching summer months with mild daytime temperatures ranging between 15°C and 25°C in most areas.
While the coastal cities like Dubai and Abu Dhabi experience cooler, pleasant winters, the mountainous regions, such as Jebel Jais, can see significantly lower temperatures, occasionally dropping below freezing. The UAE’s winter is generally characterized by clear skies, occasional rainfall, and a rise in outdoor activities, attracting tourists and residents alike.
As per the National Centre of Meteorology (NCM), the next lowest temperature in the country’s history was on February 4 in the same year when the mercury dipped on the mountain cluster to -3℃.
The top of the Jais Mountain cluster – at a height of 5,700 feet – was even blanketed with snow, extending more than five kilometres on January 24, 2009.
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Take a look at other days when temperatures fell to record lows in Jebel Jais:
| February 5, 2008 | -2.7℃ |
| February 6, 2008 | -2℃ |
| February 23, 2015 | -1.2℃ |
| February 1, 2008 | -1.1℃ |
| February 2, 2008 | -1.1℃ |
| February 24, 2015 | -0.1℃ |
The lowest temperature recorded this year so far was 1.9℃ on January 4 in Jebel Jais at 5am, just a day after hitting 2.2℃.
The cold weather conditions on that day resulted in frost formation on the mountain, and ice crystals were seen floating down a water stream and on a car’s roof.
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