UAE weather: Two more days of rain and fog

Crisis team held meeting this week to discuss response plans

Water flooding the streets due to recent rain in Sharjah. Pawan Singh / The National

People wear warm clothes during a cold morning in Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National

Traffic during the rain on Al Khail Road in Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National

Water pumps installed to remove excess water near Ibn Battuta mall in Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National

Dark clouds over Emirates Palace, Abu Dhabi. Khushnum Bhandari / The National

A rainy day in Dubai on January 27. Antonie Robertson / The National

Wet weather hits the Emirates. Antonie Robertson / The National

Surface water on the roads of Dubai. Antonie Robertson / The National

Wet roads in the capital, Abu Dhabi. Khushnum Bhandari / The National

Safety signs for drivers in Abu Dhabi. Khushnum Bhandari / The National

The rain hammers down at the ILT20 cricket in Sharjah. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Dark skies loom over flooding in Sharjah. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Large parts of the country are braced for heavy downpours. Victor Besa / The National

Pedestrians walk in strong winds in Khalifa City. Victor Besa / The National

Lifeguard watches over the Hudayriyat beach amid the chilled weather in Abu Dhabi. Talib Jariwala / The National

Delivery riders park up as rain falls in Dubai this week. Police urged drivers to be cautious in wet conditions. Antonie Robertson / The National

A taxi stalls in the water in Al Quoz. Antonie Robertson / The National

Heavy rain fell overnight on Wednesday and was expected to continue on Thursday and Friday. Antonie Robertson / The National

Some schools moved to online learning because of the weather. Antonie Robertson / The National

Flooding in Barsha Heights and The Greens. Antonie Robertson / The National

Heavy rain fell throughout the night with more downpours on the way. Antonie Robertson / The National

Most food delivery companies took their riders off the roads on Wednesday. Antonie Robertson / The National

Forecasts show Thursday and Friday will be wet throughout the day. Antonie Robertson / The National

Disruption on the roads is expected, with drivers urged to be cautious. Antonie Robertson / The National

Cars drive through the rain in Dubai. Antonie Robertson / The National

Cars drive through the rain in Dubai. Antonie Robertson / The National

A pedestrian walks through the rain in Dubai. Antonie Robertson / The National

A flooded street in Dubai. Antonie Robertson / The National

A girl holding umbrella to shelter from a downpour in the Al Karama area of Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National

A taxi negotiates flooded roads in Al Karama, Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National

Traffic builds up amid wet weather in Al Karama. Pawan Singh / The National

Rain batters off a windscreen. Pawan Singh / The National

A huge puddle in Al Quoz. Antonie Robertson / The National

Rainclouds loom over Dubai. Antonie Robertson / The National

Dubai saw a short, heavy shower on Wednesday afternoon. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Thundery showers and some lightning are forecast in the coming days. Chris Whiteoak / The National

January and February are the wettest months in the Emirates. Pawan Singh / The National

The UAE is braced for two more days of wet weather, with fog expected to roll in on Sunday.

The country has been hit by torrential rain, hail, thunder and lightning this week, prompting some schools to be shut and roads to be sealed off.

More downpours are expected on Friday, with a chance of further rainfall on Saturday, forecasters said.

Meanwhile, authorities convened this week to discuss emergency measures during the wet weather.

The Abu Dhabi Emergencies, Crises and Disasters Management Team was chaired by Fares Al Mazrouei, commander-in-chief of Abu Dhabi Police.

The meeting concluded with approved weather response plans, while the need for emergency teams to collaborate during the adverse conditions was emphasised.

The National Centre of Meteorology said skies would be overcast on Friday with more rain on the way, particularly in coastal, northern and eastern areas.

The winter chill will continue to bite, with daytime temperatures set to drop to 18°C in Dubai on Friday.

The mercury could plunge to as low as 7°C in Al Ain on Friday evening.

The weather centre, in its latest five-day bulletin, said there was a prospect of rainfall during the day on Saturday.

The NCM said there was a “probability of fog or mist formation” on Sunday and Monday.

A week of wet weather

Dubai Police said the force received more than 15,000 calls to its emergency number from Wednesday into Thursday, many due to accidents on the roads.

After roads were affected in the emirate in the heavy rainfall on Wednesday evening, the Roads and Transport Authority posted messages online on Thursday morning detailing closures that would affect residents.

The Ministry of Education said government-run schools could initiate e-learning, first introduced during the pandemic, if they wished.

Many private schools in Dubai, Sharjah and the Northern Emirates moved online.

The country's labour authority, the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation, which regulates private sector companies, said employers must “ensure the safety of their employees”. This would include allowing them to work from home when needed.