Dubai vs Abu Dhabi: Weather & Climate Compared
🇦🇪 Dubai, United Arab Emirates · 🇦🇪 Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Warmer overall
Abu Dhabi
Sunnier
Abu Dhabi
More rainy days
Dubai
Dubai vs Abu Dhabi weather right now
At this moment, Abu Dhabi is the warmer of the two by 2°F (1°C).
The short answer
If warmth is the deciding factor, Abu Dhabi wins: 83°F (28°C) on the annual mean against 83°F (28°C) in Dubai, a gap of 0.7°F (0.4°C).
Head to head
- Sunshine: Abu Dhabi is brighter, averaging 10.9 hours of sun a day to Dubai's 10.8.
- Rain: Dubai records roughly 10 days of measurable precipitation annually; Abu Dhabi sees 7.
- Peak heat: the hottest stretch lands in July for Dubai (109°F (43°C)) and July for Abu Dhabi (105°F (40°C)).
- Coldest nights: January lows of 57°F (14°C) in Dubai; January lows of 63°F (17°C) in Abu Dhabi.
Dubai vs Abu Dhabi month by month
| Month | Dubai high / low | Abu Dhabi high / low | Dubai rain days | Abu Dhabi rain days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 76° / 57° | 75° / 63° | 2 | 2 |
| February | 79° / 59° | 77° / 64° | 2 | 1 |
| March | 85° / 64° | 83° / 68° | 2 | 2 |
| April | 94° / 70° | 90° / 74° | 1 | 0 |
| May | 102° / 76° | 98° / 81° | 0 | 0 |
| June | 107° / 82° | 102° / 86° | 0 | 0 |
| July | 109° / 87° | 105° / 89° | 0 | 0 |
| August | 109° / 86° | 105° / 89° | 0 | 0 |
| September | 105° / 81° | 102° / 85° | 0 | 0 |
| October | 98° / 75° | 95° / 81° | 1 | 0 |
| November | 88° / 68° | 86° / 74° | 1 | 0 |
| December | 80° / 61° | 79° / 67° | 1 | 1 |
Who's warmer, month by month?
There is no seasonal flip here: Dubai holds the temperature lead in all twelve months of the year. Come June the difference peaks near 5°F (3°C); by January Abu Dhabi almost catches up.
Sunshine, daylight and rain chance
| Month | Dubai sun | Abu Dhabi sun | Dubai daylight | Abu Dhabi daylight | Dubai wet-day chance | Abu Dhabi wet-day chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 9.8 h | 10.0 h | 10.7 h | 10.8 h | 6% | 5% |
| February | 10.0 h | 10.3 h | 11.3 h | 11.3 h | 6% | 5% |
| March | 10.2 h | 10.3 h | 11.9 h | 12.0 h | 6% | 5% |
| April | 11.1 h | 11.0 h | 12.7 h | 12.7 h | 3% | 2% |
| May | 12.1 h | 12.1 h | 13.4 h | 13.3 h | 1% | 0% |
| June | 12.4 h | 12.4 h | 13.7 h | 13.6 h | 0% | 0% |
| July | 11.5 h | 11.5 h | 13.6 h | 13.5 h | 2% | 0% |
| August | 11.4 h | 11.3 h | 13.0 h | 13.0 h | 0% | 1% |
| September | 11.3 h | 11.2 h | 12.3 h | 12.3 h | 1% | 0% |
| October | 10.7 h | 10.8 h | 11.5 h | 11.5 h | 2% | 0% |
| November | 9.9 h | 10.0 h | 10.9 h | 10.9 h | 3% | 1% |
| December | 9.7 h | 9.8 h | 10.6 h | 10.6 h | 4% | 4% |
Seasons compared
| Months | Dubai high / low | Abu Dhabi high / low | Dubai rain days | Abu Dhabi rain days | Dubai sun | Abu Dhabi sun |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| December - February | 78° / 59° | 77° / 65° | 5 | 4 | 9.8 h | 10.0 h |
| March - May | 94° / 70° | 90° / 74° | 3 | 2 | 11.1 h | 11.1 h |
| June - August | 108° / 85° | 104° / 88° | 1 | 0 | 11.8 h | 11.7 h |
| September - November | 97° / 75° | 94° / 80° | 2 | 0 | 10.6 h | 10.7 h |
Best months for sightseeing
Counting months with average highs between 64°F and 82°F (18-28°C) and fewer than 12 wet days:
- Dubai: January, February, December (3 months)
- Abu Dhabi: January, February, December (3 months)
Both cities are at their most comfortable in January, February, December, the easiest window for a trip that takes in both.
Records, distance and time difference
- Dubai records (2015-2024): high of 118° in August, low of 46° in January.
- Abu Dhabi records (2015-2024): high of 115° in August, low of 51° in January.
- Distance: Dubai and Abu Dhabi are about 71 miles (115 km) apart as the crow flies.
- Time difference: the two cities share the same local time right now.
Dubai vs Abu Dhabi: quick answers
Is Dubai warmer than Abu Dhabi?
On the annual mean, Abu Dhabi is the warmer city by roughly 0.7°F (0.4°C), though the margin shifts with the seasons.
Which city is sunnier, Dubai or Abu Dhabi?
Abu Dhabi, with 10.9 hours of average daily sunshine against 10.8 in Dubai.
Which city gets more rain?
Dubai is the wetter city, logging about 10 rain days annually to Abu Dhabi's 7.
Dig deeper
More comparisons with Dubai