Abu Dhabi in Winter
In winter (December, January and February), Abu Dhabi sees average daytime highs around 24°C and overnight lows near 17°C, with 23 mm of rain over about 4 wet days across the season. It is the coldest season of the year and the wettest season of the year.
Across winter, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 24°C. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 74% of the time across winter, and the air most often feels comfortable.
Winter is Abu Dhabi's best season of the year to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Abu Dhabi's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 24°C
- coldest season of the year
- Avg overnight low
- 17°C
- Rainfall
- 23 mm
- 4 wet days
- Avg wind
- 14 km/h
- Travel score
- 8.9
- best season of the year
- Months
- Dec · Jan · Feb
Temperature in Abu Dhabi in Winter
Across winter, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 24°C.
A typical winter day in Abu Dhabi reaches about 24°C and drops to 17°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is December, the coolest January.
How winter really feels in Abu Dhabi
Once humidity and wind are folded in, winter brings about 0 days that feel above 32°C and 0 that feel at or below 0°C.
winter sits comfortably in between — no days that feel dangerously hot or drop to a hard freeze once humidity and wind are folded in.
Abu Dhabi weather by month
How the three winter months (December, January and February) compare with the rest of the year — the season's months are highlighted.
| Month | High / Low (°C) | Rainfall (mm) | Wet days | Daylight (hours) | Travel score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 23° / 16° | 9 | 1.6 | 10.7 | 8.8 |
| Feb | 25° / 17° | 9 | 1.3 | 11.1 | 9.1 |
| Mar | 28° / 19° | 13 | 1.6 | 11.8 | 7.9 |
| Apr | 32° / 23° | 4 | 0.5 | 12.6 | 5.3 |
| May | 36° / 27° | 0 | 0.1 | 13.2 | 2.7 |
| Jun | 38° / 29° | 0 | 0 | 13.5 | 1.3 |
| Jul | 39° / 31° | 1 | 0 | 13.4 | 0.4 |
| Aug | 40° / 32° | 1 | 0.1 | 12.9 | 0.1 |
| Sep | 38° / 29° | 0 | 0 | 12.2 | 1.4 |
| Oct | 35° / 26° | 1 | 0.1 | 11.4 | 3.7 |
| Nov | 30° / 22° | 3 | 0.7 | 10.8 | 6.9 |
| Dec | 26° / 18° | 5 | 1 | 10.5 | 8.9 |
Cloud cover in Winter
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 74% of the time across winter.
Chance of precipitation in Winter
Abu Dhabi gets around 23 mm of rain over 4 wet days across winter. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Humidity in Winter
Most of winter feels comfortable — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
Wind in Winter
Winds average 14 km/h across winter.
Sunrise & sunset in Winter
Daylight runs from about 10 h 36 min in early December to 11 h 24 min by late February. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.
Solar energy in Winter
Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day across winter, about 4.5 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Abu Dhabi
In winter, Abu Dhabi overlaps its cyclone season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.
Abu Dhabi sits in the North Indian Ocean cyclone zone; the season peaks May and October–November.
Abu Dhabi sees seasonal dust haze (March–August), heaviest in July.
Is winter a good time to visit Abu Dhabi?
Our two travel scores rate winter for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal), averaged across the three months.
winter is one of the better times to visit Abu Dhabi for general sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.
What to pack for Abu Dhabi in Winter
From winter's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In winter, Abu Dhabi sees daytime highs around 24°C and nights near 17°C. Worth packing: light clothes and sun protection.
Sea temperature near Abu Dhabi in Winter
The nearest coast averages about 22°C across winter — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.
The sea at the nearest coast (about 19 km away) is warmest in August at about 34°C and coldest in February near 21°C.
The water stays above 20°C all year — warm enough for a swim any month.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sea temperature (°C) | 22 | 21 | 22 | 25 | 29 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 33 | 31 | 28 | 24 |
| Comfort | Refreshing | Refreshing | Refreshing | Warm | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Warm |
| Sea temperature (°C) | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 22 | Refreshing |
| Feb | 21 | Refreshing |
| Mar | 22 | Refreshing |
| Apr | 25 | Warm |
| May | 29 | Tropical |
| Jun | 32 | Tropical |
| Jul | 33 | Tropical |
| Aug | 34 | Tropical |
| Sep | 33 | Tropical |
| Oct | 31 | Tropical |
| Nov | 28 | Tropical |
| Dec | 24 | Warm |
UV index in Abu Dhabi in Winter
Clear-sky midday UV across winter averages around 7 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.
Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Abu Dhabi peaks around May 18 at about 10 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 16 at about 5 (moderate).
The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — every month of the year.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV index (midday) | 6 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 11 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 5 |
| Level | High | Very high | Very high | Very high | Extreme | Very high | Very high | Extreme | Very high | Very high | High | Moderate |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 6 | High |
| Feb | 9 | Very high |
| Mar | 8 | Very high |
| Apr | 9 | Very high |
| May | 11 | Extreme |
| Jun | 9 | Very high |
| Jul | 10 | Very high |
| Aug | 10 | Extreme |
| Sep | 8 | Very high |
| Oct | 8 | Very high |
| Nov | 6 | High |
| Dec | 5 | Moderate |
Air quality in Abu Dhabi in Winter
Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where winter falls, not just the annual average.
Air quality in Abu Dhabi is worst in July — around 72 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), about 2.7× the cleanest month (November, 26 µg/m³).
Seasonal pattern from CAMS reanalysis, scaled to Abu Dhabi's WHO annual average of 44.4 µg/m³.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | 31 | 37 | 44 | 43 | 47 | 53 | 72 | 69 | 50 | 35 | 26 | 26 |
| Level | Moderate | Poor | Poor | Poor | Poor | Poor | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Poor | Poor | Moderate | Moderate |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 31 | Moderate |
| Feb | 37 | Poor |
| Mar | 44 | Poor |
| Apr | 43 | Poor |
| May | 47 | Poor |
| Jun | 53 | Poor |
| Jul | 72 | Unhealthy |
| Aug | 69 | Unhealthy |
| Sep | 50 | Poor |
| Oct | 35 | Poor |
| Nov | 26 | Moderate |
| Dec | 26 | Moderate |
Where is Abu Dhabi?
Abu Dhabi sits at 24.5°N, 54.4°E, 6 m above sea level, in United Arab Emirates. The nearest listed city is Musaffah, 13 km away.
Topography around Abu Dhabi
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Abu Dhabi.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Abu Dhabi has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 27 m around an average of 4 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 39 m; within 80 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 167 m.
The land around Abu Dhabi is covered by artificial surfaces (53%) within 3 km, water (57%) and bare terrain (22%) within 16 km, and bare terrain (53%) and water (44%) within 80 km.
United Arab Emirates travel facts
- Travel advisory
- Level 3
- Reconsider Travel
- Power plugs
- Type G
- 230 V · 50 Hz
- Prices
- ≈ 63% of US
- price level, 2024
- GDP per capita
- $50,274
- 2024
- Happiness
- 6.8 / 10
- World Happiness, 2025
- Safe drinking water
- 99%
- of population, 2024
- Homicide rate
- 0.7
- per 100k, 2022
- Road deaths
- 8.9
- per 100k/yr, 2019
- Income group
- High
- World Bank
- English
- Low
- EF EPI 487
Sources: World Bank, US State Department, World Happiness Report, WHO/UNICEF, EF EPI, CIA World Factbook.
Data sources
Temperature, precipitation, cloud, humidity, wind and solar figures are a 1991–2020 climatology for Abu Dhabi (24.4512°, 54.397°, elevation 6 m), computed from hourly ERA5 reanalysis — contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information. Sun figures are astronomical calculations, not observations. City data © GeoNames, CC BY 4.0. Map outlines from Natural Earth (public domain); interactive map © Google.