Summer is here to stay in Dubai

The heat has arrived. With the mercury beginning to touch 40 degree Celsius, the days of blaring music in vehicles with the windows down on Jumeirah Beach Road are coming to an end. Most of the cars have their windows rolled up with the air conditioners on. And that’s sensible, considering these temperatures can turn deadly if precautions to stay cool are not taken, according to Dr Shaji Hydrose of the Aster Al Quoz Medical Centre. Hydrose said when the temperature is near 40 degree Celsius, staying outside for a prolonged period of time could lead to heat exhaustion. “You feel very tired, very nauseated and get muscle aches and pain,” Hydrose said, referring to the symptoms of heat exhaustion. Another danger with the extreme temperatures is heatstroke, which occurs when the core-body temperature goes above 41 degree Celsius. “This can damage your brain and cause cardiac arrest. The patient will just collapse,” Hydrose said. He advises everyone to avoid being outside between 12pm and 3.30pm, when the temperature is usually at its peak. For those who have no choice but to work outdoors during the day, Hydrose said drinking four to five litres of water is necessary, along with taking breaks in shaded or air-conditioned areas. As for tourists or expatriates just arriving in Dubai, Hydrose noted it takes three to four weeks to become acclimatised to the hot weather.  “These people who’ve just arrived here from cooler countries need to be extra careful,” he said. One of those individuals from a cooler country is Entisar Yusuf, who hails from Canada. Her third year here as a teacher, Yusuf said she takes a few precautions when the heat becomes unbearable. “When it comes to summer I don’t go out during the day unless it’s from one building to another building,” she said. “I do most of my errands at night, never during the day.” Shopping for summer dresses while at the Mall Of The Emirates, Yusuf said dressing right for the heat helps her remain cool, in more ways than one. “I avoid wearing black, and I’m looking for dresses that flow in the breeze so you’re not wearing anything that is uncomfortable in the heat, like jeans,” she said. According to the National Centre of Meteorology and Seismology (NCMS), this spring and summer is expected to be a ‘normal’ one, with temperatures varying between 30 degree Celsius and 40 degree Celsius in May and June. Expect those temperatures to shoot up in July and August, with July being the hottest month of the year, said NCMS meteorologist Sufian Farrah. The highest temperature ever recorded in the UAE for May is 52 degree Celsius, back in 2001.