Best Time to Visit Dubai: Weather, Sea and Seasons Month by Month

Shoulder months: April, May and October

The shoulder months are a matter of temperament. In October the summer is breaking: middays are still hot, in the mid-thirties, but evenings become comfortable again and the sea is at its warmest of the bathing year. By the end of the month the outdoor season is starting. April is the mirror image: mornings and evenings are pleasant, middays are already hot. May is close to summer, with daytime highs in the high thirties.

A sensible rhythm in these months is to be outdoors in the morning and from late afternoon, and to plan indoor sights, a long lunch or a rest at the hotel for the middle of the day. If you want sightseeing and the beach without the full summer heat, early April and late October are the sweet spots of the shoulder season.

Dubai in summer: June to September

Dubai in summer is hot in a way that is hard to picture before you have felt it. Daytime highs around 40 °C are normal, nights often stay around 30 °C, and near the coast humidity can make the air feel heavier still. The UAE takes this seriously: between 15 June and 15 September, outdoor work in direct sunlight is banned between 12:30 and 15:00 every day to protect workers.

Does that mean you should not go? Not necessarily. Summer works well for travellers who are happy to live an indoor-outdoor rhythm: early mornings on the beach or the water, the middle of the day in museums, malls, aquariums and other indoor attractions, and evenings outside once the sun has gone down. Hotel pools and the sea are warm, and the city is noticeably quieter than in winter.

Who it does not suit: anyone who wants to explore on foot for hours, people sensitive to heat, older travellers with heart or circulation problems and families with small children who will want to be outside all day. Long walks through the old quarter, outdoor markets and long stays at viewpoints are hard work in July and August.

If you do travel in summer, a few habits help: drink more water than you think you need, carry a hat and sunscreen even for short transfers, avoid the hours around midday in full sun and give yourself a cool hour indoors after any outdoor activity.

Sea temperature through the year

The water in the Gulf off Dubai is never truly cold. In the coolest months, January and February, it averages a little over 20 °C, which many people from northern Europe find perfectly swimmable and some find fresh. From late spring it warms quickly and reaches about 33 °C in August, warmer than many people would like for a refreshing swim. October and November are a good compromise: the sea is still very warm, while the air has started to cool.

For water sports the time of day matters as much as the month. Our Dubai Jet Ski Ride by Burj Al Arab runs as a 30 or 60-minute ride behind an escort, and in summer the early slots are clearly the better choice, before the midday heat. Jet skis only go out when wind and waves allow, whatever the season.

A jet ski off the Dubai coast, with Burj Al Arab and the skyline behind — Photo: Unsplash

Desert trips by season

The desert is where the season makes the biggest difference. Sand heats up and cools down much faster than the city, so the same dune can be pleasant at sunset in January and punishing at three in the afternoon in July.

• November to March: the best desert season. Afternoons are warm, sunsets are long and the evenings at camp are comfortable. After dark it can turn cool, so bring a warm layer or a jacket, particularly in December, January and February.
• April, May and October: still very good, but the early part of the afternoon is hot. Expect a warm dune drive and a pleasant evening.
• June to September: desert trips still run, but the afternoon part is very hot. Drink plenty, wear a hat and light clothing, and think of the outing as an evening trip with a hot start.

Our Dubai Red Dunes Safari and BBQ Evening has two departures, at 11:00 and 14:30, both taking about seven hours including transfers. The 14:30 departure runs into the evening and adds a fire show and stargazing through a telescope, so in the warmer months it is the departure that spends more of its time after sunset. In every season the trip suits children from age three.

For a quieter evening, the Dubai Night Desert Wildlife and Stargazing trip leaves in the late afternoon or evening, because many desert animals rest through the heat of the day and only move once the sand cools. Sightings change from night to night and cannot be guaranteed. In winter, bring a warm layer: desert nights can turn cool.

If you want the full cycle of evening, night and sunrise, the Dubai Overnight Desert Camp and Sunrise trip keeps you in the dunes for about 17 hours, with dinner, a campfire and a sunrise camel walk. You sleep in a private air-conditioned tent, which matters in the warmer months, and in winter you will want a warm layer for the night and the early morning.

A desert camp outside Dubai in the evening light — Photo: Unsplash

Ramadan: a month that moves

Ramadan follows the Islamic lunar calendar, which is about eleven days shorter than the calendar most visitors use. That is why Ramadan starts roughly eleven days earlier each year and, over the years, moves through every season. Astronomical calculations put the start of Ramadan 2027 at around 8 February 2027, but the date is only confirmed once the moon-sighting committee in the UAE has seen the new crescent, usually the evening before. Treat any date you read in advance as an estimate.

Travelling in Ramadan is entirely possible and many visitors enjoy it. Non-Muslim visitors are not expected to fast, but you should be discreet and avoid eating, drinking or chewing gum openly in public during fasting hours, out of respect for those who are fasting. Many restaurants and cafés still serve during the day, often behind screens. Opening hours of shops, malls, museums and attractions often change, so check the official site of each place the week before. After sunset the city comes alive with iftar, the meal that breaks the fast, and evenings are often busier than usual.

Programmes at desert camps can also be adapted during Ramadan. If your dates fall in that month, ask us when you book and we will tell you what runs on your date. The days of Eid al-Fitr at the end of Ramadan are a public holiday, when many residents travel and attractions are busy.

Wind, dust and haze

Dubai's weather is not only about heat. Strong winds from the north-west, known as shamal, can pick up sand and dust and turn the sky milky for a day or two, especially in the warmer half of the year. On such days views from high viewpoints are hazy and the sea can be rough. It rarely lasts long, but if a clear skyline view is important to you, keep a flexible day in your plan rather than booking it for your last evening.

Which month suits whom

• First visit, mixed sightseeing and beach: November to March.
• Desert and camping: November to March, with October and April as good second choices.
• Beach and warm sea with fewer crowds: October, or early April.
• Quiet city, indoor attractions, water in the morning: June to September, if you handle heat well.
• Families with small children: the cool season, when children can be outdoors for longer without risk.

Whatever month you choose, the same rule applies: be outside in the morning and from late afternoon, and save the middle of the day for something under a roof. In winter you hardly need it; in summer it decides whether the trip is a pleasure or a struggle.

And Abu Dhabi?

Abu Dhabi, about an hour and a half to two hours' drive from Dubai, follows the same seasonal pattern: mild winters and very hot summers. If you combine both cities, the advice above applies to both. At Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, the white marble courtyards get very hot around midday from May to September, so in those months an early start is the better choice.