What's the Weather Like?

Make it stop!!!

It's a standard joke that Brits are obsessed with the weather. In a country known for its grey, overcast days, it becomes a fallback conversation starter, but also a very real logistical challenge. What, precisely, does one wear on a British summer' day, which could run the full gamut of drizzle, sunshine, wind, rain? But mainly rain.

I'll let you into a secret. Even though I live in a country with blue sky and sunshine 360 days of the year, we are also obsessed with the weather. We talk about it ALL the time. This builds into a frenzy in August, when it feels like the Summer is never going to end.

How hot is it? How humid is it? Is it hotter or cooler than last year? Will the Summer ever end? Is a sandstorm on its way? And most thrilling of all: IS IT RAINING WHERE YOU ARE?!

I'm currently in a frenzy as the humidity has dropped in the past week. This means that although it's so hot (49 degrees today!) you feel like your eye balls are peeling away from your lids, it's somehow more bearable than being drenched with water 30 seconds after leaving the house.

Mid August is a real test. For those of us who've stayed through Ramadan and most of the hottest months of the year, you start to feel like the Summer is going to last until December. Any tiny dip in temperature is embraced, discussed and regarded as a tiny chink of hope in the heat quagmire.

We're now casually throwing around the phrase: "Just one more month to go!" Which, sadly, is a total lie. It doesn't cool down until November. So that'll be another two months. Two months two weeks, really. Oh lord.

Just one more month to go!

Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!

Every time I look at the UK weather my entire body constricts. Enough already - and I don't even live there! How are you coping, UK chums? It's even snowed in little old Jersey - first time in 20 years! 

If it helps you at al, you'll be glad to know that it's still FAR too cold in Dubai to even THINK about getting into the pool. Or the sea for that mater. I popped a toe into our pool yesterday and recoiled in horror. 

My 'no sea/pool from December - April' rule remains firmly in place. I know you feel sorry for me.

Chance of me getting in here this month: minimal.

What's The Weather Like?

When I lived in the UK, the weather was a perpetual topic of conversation. I thought that might change once I lived in a country where the sun shines (almost) every day, but no.

Perhaps one of the reasons is that the weather in Dubai isn't EXACTLY the same every day. And us Dubai dwellers have our antannae finely tuned to any nuances or changes, however minimal, that the weather brings. Each morning as I leave the villa my senses are on high alert for humidity, breezes, clouds...

ESPECIALLY as we start heading into September, which, despite being the most humid month of the year, signals that the Winter is approaching...Yay, Winter!

Soon, these temperatures will drop...

 Here are some Dubai weather types which we get excited about:

The Day When It Isn't QUITE as Hot

Even in the height of Summer, when the mercury is hitting 45 and higher, you can suddenly experience a day when it drops a little - which can feel like a lot. This happened on the last day of Ramadan. 

I was visiting a friend and popped out onto her balcony to check out her view. "OOH!!" we exclaimed. "It's BEAUTIFUL OUT HERE!"

I then skipped down the walk at JBR  to meet friends for a drink. It felt positively cool and breezy. It was 36 degrees.

The Day When It's Breezy for No Reason

Sometimes wind is a precursor to a sandstorm (not a treat). Sometimes it's just windy for the sheer wonderfulness of it (complete treat). This can mean the difference between thinking you're going to die when running, and actually managing to limp an extra km or two.

The Day When the Humidity Drops

I love heat. I hate humidity. I hate being drenched two minutes after leaving the house (Not a good look when in a bodycon dress and heading out for dinner. Not a good look any time, to be fair.)

At the moment we're having a few days of low humidity. Granted, your eyeballs feel like they're about to pop out of your head due to the dry air, and your eyelids stick to them (lovely). But I'd take this any day over wet, sticky, slug-like humidity.

The Day When Clouds Appear

Who ever knew that clouds could cause such hysteria?! It's such a pleasant change to look up and see fluffy white things in the sky. And they are fluffy, white, gorgeous things, in the main. Not grey, black or menacing, as in the UK. Love them.

The Day When Two Drops of Rain Fall

Now, THIS is where you will witness real hysteria. And yes, dear readers, I count myself as one of those who becomes CRAZED with excitment at the merest whiff of a raindrop.

When it rains in the UK, there's a good chance it last rained...oh...ten minutes earlier.

When it rains in Dubai, there's a good chance it last rained...360 days earlier.

That's 360 days of dust, sand, humidity, baking, scorching heat, to be washed away.No wonder we get excited!

Now we're into the first week of September, you can almost smell the cooler weather. We're straining towards it like an Olympic athlete at the finishing line. Soon, soon, there will be outdoor dinners, terrace drinks, Fridays in the park. So much Winter joy to come...

Photo One: The Umbrella Shop

One umbrella or two, madam?!

There’s few things in life that are guaranteed.  But in Dubai, there’s a lot you can rely on: always carry 25 passport photos with you, plus copies of your passport…delivery men will be late (if they arrive at all.) 

But one thing is usually true: it doesn’t rain much here. I think we’ve had 8 hours of rainfall in the last year. Not joking.

Which is why it was comical, but also immensely optimistic, to stumble across this shop in Naif. Yes, you saw correctly: an umbrella shop.

Whilst I love the power of positive thinking, this is probably a step too far when it comes to the ideal Dubai business. Love it.