Police in Abu Dhabi issued a warning to motorists as parts of the country were hit by heavy rain on Sunday evening.
The message from police came after UAE authorities had earlier on Sunday urged the public to be on the alert, with heavy rain and high winds expected to sweep across much of the country in the coming days.
"Abu Dhabi Police call on motorists to exercise caution due to the rainy weather and to follow the changing speed limits displayed on electronic information boards. Drive Safely," the force said in a post on social media platform X on Sunday evening.
The warning from police came as the National Centre of Meteorology (NCM) shared footage of parts of the country being struck by heavy rain and floods on Sunday.
The NCM's latest online weather map predicts heavy rainfall in parts of the Abu Dhabi emirate, Dubai and the Northern Emirates on Sunday.
The weather bureau says that winds could reach speeds of up to 55kph in some areas, kicking up dust and cutting visibility.
The NCM shared footage of the wet weather on its social media channels on Sunday, including this video below from Ras Al Khaimah.
The NCM on Sunday issued a yellow alert over rain and dusty conditions in prospect over areas of Dubai, Ras Al Khaimah and Sharjah.
The safety notice - in effect until 9pm - calls on residents to be "on the look out" over unsettled weather when outdoors.
A more severe orange alert was put in place for areas of Fujairah, warning that hazardous weather events are expected.
Storm Centre, a social media account that tracks weather in the Emirates, shared footage on Sunday morning of rain in Mohamed bin Zayed City in Fujairah, amid leaden skies.
The account had on Saturday posted clips of drivers navigating wet conditions and citizens enjoying streams of water flowing through a wadi as rain lashed eastern regions of the country.
Authorities monitor weather
The National Emergency, Crisis and Disaster Management Authority (Ncema) said on Friday it was “closely monitoring developments in the expected weather over the coming days”.
It issued a safety warning for northern, eastern and western regions over wet weather and strong winds, which it said could cause “flying debris and reduced visibility”.
Rough seas are also in store in both the Arabian Gulf and the Sea of Oman, the authority said.
Ncema said people should follow updates and warnings issued by the NCM through official channels during the adverse weather.
It called on the public to avoid waterlogged areas during rainfall, and exercise caution to ensure public safety.
More rain on the way
The NCM's five-day weather chart forecast some rainfall on Saturday in Al Ain, Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah, before more severe downpours in the Emirates on Sunday.
It is expected to remain dry in Abu Dhabi and Dubai on both Monday and Tuesday, though conditions could be cloudy on Wednesday.
More heavy rain is forecast for the Northern Emirates on Monday and Tuesday, the NCM's weather map shows.
More fog is expected to roll in across the country on Tuesday and Wednesday, hindering visibility on the roads for early morning commuters.
