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The United Arab Emirates recorded its highest May temperature in two decades on Saturday, with the mercury hitting 50.4 degrees Celsius (122.7 degrees Fahrenheit) in Al Shawamekh, in the emirate of Abu Dhabi.
“This is the highest temperature ever recorded in May since records began in 2003,” a spokesperson for the UAE’s National Center of Meteorology told Agence France-Presse.
The previous May record was 50.2°C (122.4°F), set in 2009.
The country has experienced an early onset of extreme heat this year. In April, the UAE saw unseasonably high temperatures, with an average maximum of 42.6°C (108.7°F) for the month. On April 27, temperatures reached 46.6°C (115.9°F), the second-highest April reading on record, just below the 46.9°C (116.4°F) mark set in 2012.
Authorities have issued public health advisories, urging residents to stay hydrated and limit outdoor activity during peak heat hours.
With information from Athens-Macedonian News Agency.
