With its magnificent deserts, amazing architecture and beautiful waterfronts, the UAE offers photographers scenes that few other nations can match.
Perhaps the most striking of the many images of the Emirates are those that combine the country’s scenery with a natural phenomenon: early-morning fog.
In particular, photographs showing the skyscrapers of Sheikh Zayed Road in Dubai emerging above the fog into clear air are truly iconic and have attracted attention around the globe.
But what exactly creates this incredible sight, which tends to happen later in the year, as the weather cools?
What causes the low-level fog or clouds?
In the colder months, after a clear and calm night, the air is likely to be moist thanks to winds that blow in from the Gulf during the day.
The ground, however, will have lost much of the heat absorbed the previous day, a process called radiative cooling, which in turns cools the air above it.
In the early morning, the air temperature at ground level may be about 20°C, which may not be cold enough for fog to form (although on some occasions it will be cool enough and ground-level mist or fog will form).
Further up, perhaps at 500 or 1,000 feet, the temperature may be 16°C or 17°C, which is cool enough for the water vap
our in the air to condense into low cloud.
Go higher still, however, and the air may actually become warmer — something known as a temperature inversion — because it has not been subject to radiative cooling in the same way that air lower down has been. So the cloud or fog does not stretch far up, making the upper sections of the skyscrapers visible in the clear air.
While spectacular to witness, this effect is short-lived because, as the sun rises, it warms the air and the fog or cloud vanishes relatively quickly.
Why does much of the UAE get little cloud the rest of the time?
A major reason is the UAE’s latitude, with Abu Dhabi and Dubai sitting about 25 degrees north of the equator. Here, high pressure weather systems predominate.
To understand why, it is easiest first to consider conditions at the equator, which experiences the greatest amount of direct sunlight in the world. Here, the sun heats the air and causes it to rise.
“In the tropics, there are large regions where the air is rising,” says Prof Sandrine Bony, director of research at the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS).
“The water vapour cools down when it’s ascending, causing it to condense and form clouds.”
This heavy cloud cover frequently results in rain, so equatorial regions are often some of the wettest on earth.
By contrast, at the subtropical latitudes, which lie between 23.5 and 40 degrees north and south of the equator, high pressure is more typical, in part because of wind patterns created by the rising air near the equator.
“As the air rises in the tropics, it starts being transported away from the tropics at higher latitudes,” says Prof David Schultz, professor of synoptic meteorology at the University of Manchester in the UK.
At subtropical latitudes, the air tends to descend, warming and meaning that, as Prof Schultz describes, it “is not favourable for the creation of deep, fluffy clouds”.
So heavy cloud cover in the UAE is rare.
“Many of the other deserts are in the subtropical latitudes, like Australia, the deserts of China, the deserts of North America. They’re devoid of lots of cloud because the air is descending,” says Prof Schultz.
How do local factors affect the UAE’s weather?
While global factors have a significant influence on the UAE’s climate, and are a key reason why cloud cover and rainfall in the Emirates is low, local elements also play a role.
As described in a 2019 scientific paper, "Total Cloud Cover Climatology Over the United Arab Emirates", published in the journal Atmospheric Science Letters, Fujairah has the UAE’s highest average total cloud cover (TCC), the proportion of the sky covered by clouds.
This is in part because of its proximity to the Hajar mountains, which cause air from the sea to rise, expand and cool, leading the water vapour to condense and form clouds and rain.
“The land-sea temperature difference, along with the presence of Al Hajar mountain chain along the eastern coast of the UAE, significantly influences TCC in Fujairah, leading to orographic [mountain-related] cloud formations,” wrote the authors, who were from Khalifa University and the National Centre of Meteorology, both in Abu Dhabi.
They said Fujairah’s vegetation also influenced upward air movements in a way that increased the emirate’s rainfall and cloudiness.
“Fujairah also lies on the coast of the Gulf of Oman, making it more susceptible to the effects of the Indian Monsoon through proximity to the Arabian Sea,” the authors added.
Al Ain had the next highest average TCC, while the lowest figures were recorded in Sharjah and Abu Dhabi.
Why does the UAE not have an annual monsoon?
Regional geography explains why India, for example, experiences a monsoon from June to September, but the UAE — which sits roughly in the middle of India in terms of latitude — does not.
In summer the Thar desert in north-west India heats up, forming a low pressure area that draws in moist air from the Indian Ocean, which lies south of the subcontinent. This moisture ultimately falls as the monsoon rains.
South of the Arabian peninsula, however, the African continent occupies much of the space, so there is no vast ocean providing moist air of the kind that sits south of India.
As a result, the same pattern, of moist air being drawn north onto land, does not produce the same results, although there are a few places on the Arabian peninsula, such as Salalah in Oman, that are famous for experiencing a monsoon season.
“There’s not going to be a lot of moisture from the south,” says Prof Schultz.
“There will be some, but not as dramatic as the air being flowed into India.”
Earth under attack: Cosmic impacts throughout history
- 4.5 billion years ago: Mars-sized object smashes into the newly-formed Earth, creating debris that coalesces to form the Moon
- 66 million years ago: 10km-wide asteroid crashes into the Gulf of Mexico, wiping out over 70 per cent of living species – including the dinosaurs.
- 50,000 years ago: 50m-wide iron meteor crashes in Arizona with the violence of 10 megatonne hydrogen bomb, creating the famous 1.2km-wide Barringer Crater
- 1490: Meteor storm over Shansi Province, north-east China when large stones “fell like rain”, reportedly leading to thousands of deaths.
- 1908: 100-metre meteor from the Taurid Complex explodes near the Tunguska river in Siberia with the force of 1,000 Hiroshima-type bombs, devastating 2,000 square kilometres of forest.
- 1998: Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 breaks apart and crashes into Jupiter in series of impacts that would have annihilated life on Earth.
-2013: 10,000-tonne meteor burns up over the southern Urals region of Russia, releasing a pressure blast and flash that left over 1600 people injured.
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 201hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 320Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 6-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 8.7L/100km
Price: Dh133,900
On sale: now
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BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
Essentials
The flights
Emirates, Etihad and Malaysia Airlines all fly direct from the UAE to Kuala Lumpur and on to Penang from about Dh2,300 return, including taxes.
Where to stay
In Kuala Lumpur, Element is a recently opened, futuristic hotel high up in a Norman Foster-designed skyscraper. Rooms cost from Dh400 per night, including taxes. Hotel Stripes, also in KL, is a great value design hotel, with an infinity rooftop pool. Rooms cost from Dh310, including taxes.
In Penang, Ren i Tang is a boutique b&b in what was once an ancient Chinese Medicine Hall in the centre of Little India. Rooms cost from Dh220, including taxes.
23 Love Lane in Penang is a luxury boutique heritage hotel in a converted mansion, with private tropical gardens. Rooms cost from Dh400, including taxes.
In Langkawi, Temple Tree is a unique architectural villa hotel consisting of antique houses from all across Malaysia. Rooms cost from Dh350, including taxes.
The five pillars of Islam
What is Reform?
Reform is a right-wing, populist party led by Nigel Farage, a former MEP who won a seat in the House of Commons last year at his eighth attempt and a prominent figure in the campaign for the UK to leave the European Union.
It was founded in 2018 and originally called the Brexit Party.
Many of its members previously belonged to UKIP or the mainstream Conservatives.
After Brexit took place, the party focused on the reformation of British democracy.
Former Tory deputy chairman Lee Anderson became its first MP after defecting in March 2024.
The party gained support from Elon Musk, and had hoped the tech billionaire would make a £100m donation. However, Mr Musk changed his mind and called for Mr Farage to step down as leader in a row involving the US tycoon's support for far-right figurehead Tommy Robinson who is in prison for contempt of court.
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
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Director: Peyton Reed
Starring: Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Michael Douglas
Three stars
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Prop idols
Girls full-contact rugby may be in its infancy in the Middle East, but there are already a number of role models for players to look up to.
Sophie Shams (Dubai Exiles mini, England sevens international)
An Emirati student who is blazing a trail in rugby. She first learnt the game at Dubai Exiles and captained her JESS Primary school team. After going to study geophysics at university in the UK, she scored a sensational try in a cup final at Twickenham. She has played for England sevens, and is now contracted to top Premiership club Saracens.
----
Seren Gough-Walters (Sharjah Wanderers mini, Wales rugby league international)
Few players anywhere will have taken a more circuitous route to playing rugby on Sky Sports. Gough-Walters was born in Al Wasl Hospital in Dubai, raised in Sharjah, did not take up rugby seriously till she was 15, has a master’s in global governance and ethics, and once worked as an immigration officer at the British Embassy in Abu Dhabi. In the summer of 2021 she played for Wales against England in rugby league, in a match that was broadcast live on TV.
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Erin King (Dubai Hurricanes mini, Ireland sevens international)
Aged five, Australia-born King went to Dubai Hurricanes training at The Sevens with her brothers. She immediately struck up a deep affection for rugby. She returned to the city at the end of last year to play at the Dubai Rugby Sevens in the colours of Ireland in the Women’s World Series tournament on Pitch 1.
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Read more about the coronavirus
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The five pillars of Islam
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
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Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
The Facility’s Versatility
Between the start of the 2020 IPL on September 20, and the end of the Pakistan Super League this coming Thursday, the Zayed Cricket Stadium has had an unprecedented amount of traffic.
Never before has a ground in this country – or perhaps anywhere in the world – had such a volume of major-match cricket.
And yet scoring has remained high, and Abu Dhabi has seen some classic encounters in every format of the game.
October 18, IPL, Kolkata Knight Riders tied with Sunrisers Hyderabad
The two playoff-chasing sides put on 163 apiece, before Kolkata went on to win the Super Over
January 8, ODI, UAE beat Ireland by six wickets
A century by CP Rizwan underpinned one of UAE’s greatest ever wins, as they chased 270 to win with an over to spare
February 6, T10, Northern Warriors beat Delhi Bulls by eight wickets
The final of the T10 was chiefly memorable for a ferocious over of fast bowling from Fidel Edwards to Nicholas Pooran
March 14, Test, Afghanistan beat Zimbabwe by six wickets
Eleven wickets for Rashid Khan, 1,305 runs scored in five days, and a last session finish
June 17, PSL, Islamabad United beat Peshawar Zalmi by 15 runs
Usman Khawaja scored a hundred as Islamabad posted the highest score ever by a Pakistan team in T20 cricket
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MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
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About Seez
Company name/date started: Seez, set up in September 2015 and the app was released in August 2017
Founder/CEO name(s): Tarek Kabrit, co-founder and chief executive, and Andrew Kabrit, co-founder and chief operating officer
Based in: Dubai, with operations also in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Lebanon
Sector: Search engine for car buying, selling and leasing
Size: (employees/revenue): 11; undisclosed
Stage of funding: $1.8 million in seed funding; followed by another $1.5m bridge round - in the process of closing Series A
Investors: Wamda Capital, B&Y and Phoenician Funds
Defence review at a glance
• Increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 but given “turbulent times it may be necessary to go faster”
• Prioritise a shift towards working with AI and autonomous systems
• Invest in the resilience of military space systems.
• Number of active reserves should be increased by 20%
• More F-35 fighter jets required in the next decade
• New “hybrid Navy” with AUKUS submarines and autonomous vessels
Background: Chemical Weapons
Six large-scale objects on show
- Concrete wall and windows from the now demolished Robin Hood Gardens housing estate in Poplar
- The 17th Century Agra Colonnade, from the bathhouse of the fort of Agra in India
- A stagecloth for The Ballet Russes that is 10m high – the largest Picasso in the world
- Frank Lloyd Wright’s 1930s Kaufmann Office
- A full-scale Frankfurt Kitchen designed by Margarete Schütte-Lihotzky, which transformed kitchen design in the 20th century
- Torrijos Palace dome
If you go
The flights
Return flights from Dubai to Santiago, via Sao Paolo cost from Dh5,295 with Emirates.
The trip
A five-day trip (not including two days of flight travel) was split between Santiago and in Puerto Varas, with more time spent in the later where excursions were organised by TurisTour.
When to go
The summer months, from December to February are best though there is beauty in each season
Famous left-handers
- Marie Curie
- Jimi Hendrix
- Leonardo Di Vinci
- David Bowie
- Paul McCartney
- Albert Einstein
- Jack the Ripper
- Barack Obama
- Helen Keller
- Joan of Arc
