Unexpected heavy downpours across the UAE left many people caught out in the rain on Friday, including Dubai’s Crown Prince.
Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed shared a video of himself with his 13 million Instagram followers driving through the Dubai desert as torrential rain batters the windscreen, making it almost impossible to see ahead.
Earlier in the day, he shared pictures of his black 4x4 parked in the desert, with Burj Khalifa visible in the background.
The Crown Prince was one of many people across the country to share videos of the weather on New Year’s Eve, with images of flooding, looming clouds and fallen beach umbrellas rife across social media.
The rain, which started in Dubai in the early hours of the morning, is predicted to continue into New Year’s Day.
New Year’s Eve revellers planning to watch fireworks have been warned to take waterproof clothing and prepare for heavy traffic.
Sheikh Hamdan’s video comes after he shared his New Year wishes on Instagram earlier this week. “Let’s get ready to smile & move to 2022!,” he captioned the video, which showed him riding in a glass-front elevator.
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The rain comes down at the beach in Dubai. All photos: Chris Whiteoak / The National -
The rain comes down in Jumeirah, Dubai -
Puddles and umbrellas in Discovery Gardens in Dubai, after a 45-minute deluge on Friday morning -
Pedestrians run for cover as rain falls on New Year's Eve in Dubai. City residents were woken by thunder and lightning in the early hours -
A delivery motorcyclist negotiates the rain-slicked roads of Dubai. Police warned road users to be extra vigilant in the wet conditions -
A pedestrian seeks shelter under an umbrella in Dubai. Another front of rain is forecast to arrive around 11pm on New Year's Eve, with Abu Dhabi set to experience several hours of rain -
Further rain is forecast across Abu Dhabi, Dubai and the Northern Emirates on Monday and Tuesday – with up to 40 millimetres in isolated areas -
There was isolated flooding in low-lying areas in Dubai, including Discovery Gardens -
Dubai bus passengers are glad to get out of the rain -
Rain clouds loom on the horizon over Discovery Gardens -
A pedestrian is caught out in the rain at Discovery Gardens
