With mercury dropping considerably across Qatar over the last three days, many retail shops are closing earlier than usual in the evening.

The number of customers has fallen sharply late in the evenings due to the colder weather. The temperatures in the evening the past 3 days have been between 12 and 14ºC.

In some of the locations in Doha, where many shops stay open late into the night, most shops other than grocery shops, restaurants and supermarkets, are now winding up their daily operations earlier.

Some of the gents saloons and barber shops in Najma and Umm Ghuwaliana that are usually open until midnight have been closing early over the past three days. At least three operators said it is meaningless to expect customers late in the evenings, given the colder weather conditions.

Inquiries also found very few viewers are present in some of the cinema multiplexes even for shows starting between 5.30 and 6pm.

Though most eateries remain open until midnight, the number of customers has drastically fallen, it is learnt.

However, one of the operators at the tea shop at the Bandar port in Doha Corniche said that more people are ordering karak since the weather got colder.

People love sipping on the savoury tea with milk combo while enjoying the Doha skyline view in the comfort of their cars.

Is the cold weather stopping you from stepping outside?