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Weather, time and location

The UAE is four hours ahead of UTC (Co-ordinated Universal Time - formerly known as GMT) and there is no daylight saving. Hence, when it is 12.00 midday in Abu Dhabi, it is 3am in New York, 8am in London, 10 am in Johannesburg, 1.30pm in New Delhi, and 6pm in Sydney (not allowing for any summer time saving in those countries).

Abu Dhabi has a sub-tropical, arid climate. Sunny blue skies and high temperatures can be expected most of the year. Rainfall is sporadic, falling mainly in winter (November to March) and averaging 12 cms per year in most of the emirate. Rain is more common in the 'Oasis City' of Al Ain, the emirate's second largest city, due to its proximity to the Hajar mountains. Temperatures range from a low of around 13C (50F) on a winter's night, to a high of around 42C (118F) on a summer's day. The cooler months, November to April, are the most pleasant time to visit, when temperatures are around 24C (75F) during the day and 13C (56F) at night.

In the winter the sun rises between 6:30 AM and 7:00 AM and sets between 6:00 PM and 7:00 PM. The sun can rise as early as 5:30 AM in the summer and sets around 7:00 PM. Abu Dhabi has on average 10 to 12 hours of sunlight each day.

Abu Dhabi is located in the United Arab Emirates. It is the capital city of the UAE, and the largest and most populated of the seven emirates.