Rain has returned to the UAE this week, with thunder rolling over Abu Dhabi and Dubai and hail falling in parts of the Northern Emirates.
Forecasters say conditions are set to intensify, bringing stronger winds and heavier downpours on Thursday and Friday.
Thunderstorms can feel sudden, but they are not unusual in the region. Long before the UAE was formed, accounts describe rain falling for days, with coastal settlements facing strong winds and rising water during the winter months.
Below is a timeline of some of the most notable storms recorded in the UAE, from early archive accounts to the record rainfall seen in recent years.
1947 to 1950: Rain, wind and disrupted trade
Twenty-four years before the UAE’s formation, parts of the region recorded heavy rain in 1947, with downpours in February and March, and again between November and December.
According to Al Bayan newspaper, this pattern continued in the following years, with rain and strong winds affecting coastal settlements and damaging boats along the shoreline. Trade routes were also cut off and supplies disrupted due to extended rainfall.
1957: Heavy rain hits homes in the Trucial States
On April 8, 1957, rain swept through the Trucial States, with up to 97.3 millimetres recorded in Sharjah in a single day. It was part of a year that saw more than 340mm of rainfall.
Many palm-frond structures were damaged, while contemporary accounts describe a dhow capsising near the coast, with all seven crew members reported missing. There were no warning systems and limited communication at the time, and weaker structures offered little protection during sustained rain.
1963: Flooding hits coast, trade and early aviation
On November 22, 1963, a storm brought torrential rain and strong winds across the UAE.
In Abu Dhabi, floodwater moved inland, damaging goods unloaded on to the beach. In Sharjah, the airfield was flooded, with rain pouring off tin-roofed accommodation at the RAF base. The storm followed a period of very low rainfall in the early 1960s.
Reports in Al Ittihad newspaper recall repeated flooding in low-lying areas of the capital during this period, before sea defences were built. Like other major storms during this period, the impact was not limited to housing. Trade was disrupted, planes were grounded and coastal areas without sea defences were flooded.
1982: Flooding across an Abu Dhabi still under construction
Heavy rain fell across the UAE over two days in February 1982. Fujairah recorded 94mm, while Dubai saw more than 65mm. Abu Dhabi and Sharjah each recorded more than 50mm.
Speaking to The National in 2019, the late author, columnist and UAE cultural historian Peter Hellyer recalled heavy flooding across the capital, which at the time was in the middle of a building boom.
“Low-lying areas of Abu Dhabi city set away from the main roads were flooded for weeks,” he said. “The internal roads in much of what was then called the Tourist Club area had not been completed and residents living there nicknamed it ‘Lake District’.”
2016: High winds and rain bring cities to a standstill
On March 9, 2016, winds of up to 130kph swept across Abu Dhabi and Dubai, accompanied by heavy rain. In several areas, construction materials were blown loose and trees were uprooted. Windows rattled, glass doors shattered and debris moved through streets, according to letters published in The National after the storm.
2024: Record rain overwhelms roads and residences
In April 2024, the UAE recorded its heaviest rainfall since 1949. Dubai received 142mm in a single day, while parts of Al Ain recorded totals approaching 255mm.
Roads were submerged, while shopping centres and low-lying areas were inundated. Daily activity slowed or stopped in many areas as conditions worsened through the day.
Official statements carried by the Emirates News Agency described the rainfall as “exceptional”, while data from the National Centre of Meteorology confirmed it as the highest recorded since national measurements began.
