Dubai

What the ‘Jamrat Al Qayth’ Heatwave Means for Your Dubai Utility Bill

Published

27 seconds ago

July 1, 2026

Shorya

The Embers of Summer “Jamrat Al Qayth” will be hitting UAE in the coming days, and it is time for all the UAE residents to be ready for the onset of the Summer season, which officially started on July 3, 2026, and will continue until August 10.

The season of the Gulf when the weather is hottest is the 40-day period starting on the second week of June and lasting until the second week of August, characterised by extreme heat, Samoom winds and frequent heatwaves that can raise temperatures well inland to above 50°C.

When extreme weather occurs, it affects household utility expenses not only due to health and safety concerns, but for direct reasons, as well. With the rise in temperature, the air conditioners, refrigeration systems and water consumption become quite high and skyrocket the monthly electricity and water bills of many in Dubai.

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Why Does ‘Jamrat Al Qayth’ Increase Utility Bills?

Cooling systems run longer periods of time during that time to keep the spaces cool. Use of air conditioning is usually the biggest energy consumer in UAE homes, and keeping an A/C running all day every day puts a strain on the total energy consumption of these houses in the UAE.

The strong temperatures are likely to be enhanced by Samoom winds and frequent heat waves during the Waghrat Al Qayth period, with an air mass remaining stagnant in the country for several days, resulting in heat above normal. These conditions decrease the natural cooling and increase the load on the air-conditioning units.

What Can Dubai Residents Expect?

After sunset, the humidity will increase slightly which will allow Dubai to warm up but not substantially and overnight temperatures will stay above 31°C, and hence, will not allow turning off your air conditioners at night just yet.

Poorly insulated and those apartments that get direct afternoon sunlight can have even greater cooling requirements, potentially causing significant higher monthly utility bills.

Which Home Appliances Consume the Most Electricity?

The maximum percentage of electricity consumption during the summertime taken by Air conditioners. But refrigerators and freezers also use more energy due to the increased effort they must expend in a hot environment to maintain the temperature inside.

Heating water in the home and wearing clothes in an energy-inefficient dryer or using old, energy-inefficient appliances in the home can add more energy usage especially when these items are used during summer when they are in peak demand.

Simple Ways to Reduce Your Utility Bill

Lowering air conditioner settings between 24°C to 25°C, replacing air conditioner filters frequently and closing doors and windows when the air conditioner is on, helps residents to reduce electric energy consumption. Shutting curtains or blinds during the hottest part of the day helps cut down on the amount of heat that’s trapped inside.

Other electricity cost cutting tips include using cool-growing LEDs for lighting, running watering machines in the cooler part of the day and turning off non-essential lighting.

Final Thoughts

Jamrat Al Qayth brings the most challenging phase of the UAE summer not just for the heat but also for energy consumption at home. Although some of the costs generated by electricity use in summer may be unavoidable, it is possible to cut energy bills in the summer without compromising comfort by taking some simple steps to conserve energy.

Proper home preparations before the peak of the summer can increase the efficiency of air conditioning units and reduce premature use of power while in the summer.

FAQs

What is Jamrat Al Qayth?

The 40-day traditional period in UAE and the Arabian Peninsula that is considered the hottest time of the summer is “Jamrat Al Qayth,” embers of summer.