Summer rain hits Abu Dhabi as amber weather warning issued

Public urged to be vigilant in hazardous conditions

A weather warning was issued on Tuesday morning as rain fell across Abu Dhabi.

An amber alert – for expected hazardous weather – was shared by the National Centre of Meteorology in the capital, with yellow alerts in other parts of the country.

The safety notice will remain in effect until 7pm on Wednesday.

Read more: Why is hail falling in the UAE in the middle of summer?

The national meteorology centre (NCM) said rain fell in the Abu Al Abyad Island, Al Mirfa and Tareef areas early on Tuesday morning.

Abu Dhabi Police temporarily reduced the speed limit to 120kph on a section of the Abu Dhabi-Al Ain Road at about 6.30am as a safety precaution.

The force said normal speed limits were reinstated shortly before 8am.

Further downpours were reported in parts of Al Ain throughout the morning and into the afternoon.

The NCM called on people in the east of the Emirates to be vigilant due to the prospect of heavy rain, and to avoid flooded areas.

The weather centre forecast wet weather in the east and south in particular until Thursday, accompanied by a slight drop in temperatures.

It said the unstable weather was a result of an extension of the “intertropical convergence zone”, a belt of low pressure around the Equator.

Summer rain is not unusual in the UAE, despite the high temperatures, due to low pressure systems drifting across from India, which is in monsoon season.

There were downpours and hail on the Dubai-Al Ain Road and the Masakin area of Al Ain shortly before 4pm on Monday.

The wet weather did offer some respite from the intense summer heat, with video footage shared online showing residents gleefully holding hailstones and young children playing in puddles.

Safety call for motorists

However, authorities were eager to stress the importance of staying safe.

The NCM bureau cautioned motorists against driving in rain and poor visibility “unless necessary”.

It said anyone who does take to the road should drive with care and use their headlights on low beam during reduced visibility.

Drivers were urged to monitor latest weather forecasts from the NCM before getting behind the wheel.

Abu Dhabi Police asked drivers to exercise caution and to observe the variable speed limits displayed on electronic road signs.

Deadly floods in Oman

The unsettled weather in the UAE comes as Oman grapples with fierce flash floods caused by heavy rain that is expected to persist until Wednesday evening.

A child died after being swept away by water in a flooded valley, police reported on Tuesday. He was a passenger in a car which was engulfed in water.

Royal Oman Police said four other people in the vehicle were rescued and transported to hospital for treatment.

Temperatures to rise as skies clear

The current spell of bad weather is set to be followed by bright skies and an increase in temperatures.

The mercury is expected to reach 49°C on both Friday and Saturday in Al Quaa and Gasyoura, two remote desert areas of Abu Dhabi, according to the NCM's online weather map.

Temperatures are expected to peak at 45°C in Dubai on the same days.

Summer rain in Abu Dhabi – in pictures

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  Morning rain in Abu Dhabi. All photos: Victor Besa / The National

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  An amber alert was put out by the National Centre of Meteorology in the capital

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  Yellow alerts were put out in other parts of the country

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  Summer rain is not unusual in the UAE, due to low pressure systems drifting across from India

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  The NCM said rain fell in the Abu Al Abyad Island, Al Mirfa and Tareef regions

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  Wet weather, particularly in the east and south, has been forecast until Thursday,

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  The spell of unstable weather is a result of an extension of the intertropical convergence zone, a belt of low pressure around the Equator

The Omani Civil Aviation Authority advised the public to “exercise maximum caution” due to predicted heavy rainfall across the country.

The UAE Embassy in Muscat called on Emiratis in Oman to take care during the stormy weather and follow safety advice issued by the country's authorities.

Saudi Arabia's Jazan region has been lashed by torrential rain in recent days, leading to three deaths and widespread disruption and damage to property.