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OCCO Business Bay
Dinner, a late lounge with a bar and a shisha terrace at Hyde Dubai, on the canal in Business Bay.
From AED 990 per person guide price
Call +971 56 430 5280
Dubai weather on New Year’s Eve: how warm it is at midnight and what to wear
Updated
Expect about 22°C at midnight. On the ten New Year’s Eves from 2015 to 2024, the readings at Dubai International Airport averaged 24.5°C at 6pm, 23.6°C at 8pm, 23.2°C at 10pm and 21.7°C at midnight. Midnight was never below 20°C or above 24°C.
Last New Year’s Eve (31 December 2025) was cooler and windy: 20°C at midnight, with no rain. A forecast for 31 December 2026 is only worth reading in the last few days.
The evening, hour by hour
| Time | Average on the ten New Year’s Eves, 2015 to 2024 |
|---|---|
| 6pm | 24.5°C |
| 8pm | 23.6°C |
| 10pm | 23.2°C |
| Midnight | 21.7°C |
Our own averages of the hourly reports from Dubai International Airport (NOAA Integrated Surface Database). They are not an official statistic, and the airport reports whole degrees.
Last New Year’s Eve the airport peaked at 22°C in the daytime, read 21°C at 8pm and 20°C at midnight, and fell to 16°C around sunrise on 1 January 2026.
December in Dubai, on average
The average daily high at the airport is 26.5°C in December and 24.4°C in January. The average daily low is 17.3°C in December and 15.3°C in January, and it comes around sunrise, not at midnight. These are the WMO climate normals for 1991 to 2020.
December brings 14.8 mm of rain on average, and most Decembers are almost dry: in three out of five, the whole month had 4.3 mm or less.
Does it rain on New Year’s Eve?
Rarely. Rain showed up in the airport’s reports on one of the eleven New Year’s Eves from 2015 to 2025. That was 31 December 2021, with showers at about 5am and a thunderstorm around midday. All eleven evenings were dry.
Ask your venue what happens to an outdoor table if it does rain.
Wind and sea: last New Year’s Eve
The forecast for 31 December 2025, as reported by Gulf News, warned of north-westerly winds of 15 to 30 km/h, gusting to 50 km/h, with blowing dust. It called the sea very rough to rough and a bad night for boat trips.
Late that evening the weather centre warned of 40 km/h winds and waves up to 6 feet until 8am on 1 January, Khaleej Times reported.
At the airport the wind was strongest before dawn, at 15 to 21 knots (about 28 to 39 km/h), and had dropped to 5 knots by 8pm.
The sea off JBR, the Palm and the Burj Al Arab was about 23°C that day, and between about 23°C and 25°C on recent New Year’s Eves, in NOAA’s satellite analysis.
Sunset, darkness and the first sunrise
On 31 December 2026 the sun sets in Dubai at 5:40pm, and it is dark soon after 6pm. There is no moon at midnight: it rises at 1:23am. The first sunrise of 2027 is at 7:04am on Friday 1 January.
What to wear
For midnight outdoors, dress for a mild evening and bring one more layer: a light jacket or a jumper.
On a beach, a boat or an open terrace, make it a windproof one. Last New Year’s Eve was 20°C at midnight with a north-westerly wind.
Staying out until sunrise? Plan for about 16°C.
Planning the night around it? Our itinerary has three plans with clock times.
Want a table for the night?
These venues take New Year's Eve enquiries on WhatsApp now. You book directly with the venue, and we charge no fee.
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OCCO's own building on Hessa Street in Al Barsha 3: dinner, a terrace and shisha, away from the Downtown crowds. Mocktails and juices, children welcome.
From AED 350 per person guide price
Call +971 50 905 2216
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From AED 250 per person guide price
Call +971 4 343 3375
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Questions
How cold is Dubai at midnight on New Year’s Eve?
About 22°C on average. On the ten New Year’s Eves from 2015 to 2024 the airport read between 20°C and 24°C at midnight. On 31 December 2025 it was 20°C.
Does it rain in Dubai on New Year’s Eve?
Rarely. The airport reported rain on one of the eleven New Year’s Eves from 2015 to 2025, in the early morning and around midday on 31 December 2021. All eleven evenings were dry.
Do I need a jacket?
A light one, yes, for a night outdoors. Midnight averages about 22°C, last New Year’s Eve was 20°C with wind, and by sunrise it was 16°C.
Is the sea warm enough to swim at New Year?
The sea off the Dubai coast was about 23°C on 31 December 2025. That night’s forecast also called the sea very rough to rough, so check the conditions on the day.
What time is sunset in Dubai on 31 December 2026?
5:40pm. It is dark soon after 6pm.