Al Ain: The mercury is edging upwards 45C — pushing people to take precautions against the tough seasonal conditions.

Summer is knocking on the door and those who work outside are already bearing the brunt of the seasonal dry heat that has been picking up across the region. Forecasters on Thursday warned people from working, playing, jogging, and staying in direct sunlight for a long time, saying it can lead to dehydration.

The temperature is likely to drop a bit during the weekend, but will rise again in a few days to even higher levels. May is one of the hottest months of the year in which the temperature can climb to 48C and 49C in inland areas.

According to the National Centre of Meteorology and Seismology (NCMS) the seasonal high temperature is normally recorded between June and September in the UAE.

Life has not been affected much in coastal areas but residents in cities have already been experiencing the unbearable pre-summer heat.

“Midday and afternoon conditions have gone crazy,” said Mohammad Bilal, an Al Ain resident.

He said summer had yet to start but people were already taking refuge in air-conditioned environments.

Similar conditions have been reported in Liwa, Al Faqqa, Al Khazna, Al Wathbah, Saih Al Salem, Swiehan, Umm Al Zimul, Al Daffara and parts of Ras Al Khaimah.

Sushila Kumar, a resident of Swiehan, said streets wore a deserted look at around noon when the burning sun appeared overhead.

“A temperature of 45C is very high and the human body cannot withstand it,” she said, adding that the ground temperature is always even higher. “It seems the summer will be exceptionally tough this year,” she said.

The temperature in Dubai and other coastal cities also becomes tough in May as it goes up to 47C. According to forecasters, the humidity remains at its lowest level as the heat is mostly dry with a burning south-easterly wind flow.

“I can feel the summer has begun,” said Josef Martin, an expatriate resident in Dubai.

According to the NCMS forecast, the weather will be fair to partly cloudy and hot in general during the daytime. It will be hazy at times with a fresh north-westerly wind. It will be slightly stronger in inland areas, kicking up dust and sand. Northwesterly winds are likely to extend, covering most of the UAE by Friday afternoon. The sea will be rough to very rough in general.

The NCMS has advised people to take care on the roads as poor visibility is forecast and to avoid activities at sea during the weekend.