A UAE weather warning has been sent out urging the public to be vigilant over heavy rain, high winds and hail set to sweep across large parts of the country over the next week.
The National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority (Ncema) said it was monitoring developments closely after holding key talks with the Ministry of Interior and the National Centre of Meteorology (NCM).
The NCM said unstable weather was expected to persist until at least Friday, March 27 - including rain of "varying intensity" - while police have called on drivers to exercise caution on the roads.
UAE residents were greeted by cloudy skies and showery spells on Friday, with greater rainfall forecast over the remainder of the long Eid Al Fitr weekend.
The NCM's online weather map - which covers the next five days - forecasts more cloudy conditions and heavy rain in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and the Northern Emirates from Saturday until at least Tuesday.
Windy - an online weather monitoring app - predicts spells of heavy rain could be accompanied by thunder.
Abu Dhabi Police advised drivers to exercise caution and to follow variable speed limits posted on electronic signboards on the emirate's roads.
Abu Dhabi typically reduces speed limits to 80kph during bad weather, such as thick fog, heavy rain or dust storms.
Weather action plan
Ncema said it was taking measures to ensure readiness across all sectors and was prepared to activate business continuity plans where necessary.
The prevailing weather comes as schools and universities - and some private sector workers - have already switched to remote operations as a precautionary measure in light of the Iran war.
The government has previously directed the education sector and workplaces to move to remote practices during bouts of bad weather.
Ncema said preventive guidance and safety updates would be shared with the public as required in the coming days.
Major rain last swept through the UAE in December, when Ras Al Khaimah was hit by more than a month of rainfall in a day.
The April 2024 storm caused widespread disruption across the Emirates, flooding roads and houses and hampered travel.
