Heavy rain and thunder hit Abu Dhabi and Dubai as hail fell in the Northern Emirates on Wednesday after safety alerts were issued over more adverse weather to come.
The National Centre of Meteorology warned of rain, thunder, dusty conditions and strong winds of up to 55kph set to sweep across the Emirates throughout the day.
Rumbles of thunder and cracks of lightning were heard over leaden skies in both Abu Dhabi and Dubai, as both emirates were lashed by torrential rain.
Storm Centre, a popular online weather tracking platform, shared footage of flurries of hail covering the ground in Fujairah.
The unstable weather comes as the country braces for the peak of the storms on Thursday night and Friday morning, with severe downpours and even a risk of isolated tornadoes.
Abu Dhabi Police on Wednesday morning reduced speed limits to 100kph on a stretch of Sheikh Khalifa International Road as a safety measure.
The force asked drivers to “exercise caution due to the rainy weather” and to follow variable speed limits displayed on electronic signboards.
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People in Abu Dhabi and other cities woke up to heavy rain. Victor Besa / The National -
Most parts of the UAE were experiencing heavy rain and thunderstorms for a second day. Victor Besa / The National -
More wet weather was forecast for the rest of the week. Victor Besa / The National -
Wet conditions in central Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National -
Catching a bus in the capital. Victor Besa / The National -
A woman captures views of the Abu Dhabi Corniche with her phone. Victor Besa / The National -
Umbrellas to the rescue. Victor Besa / The National -
Large puddles form in Dubai Sports City after heavy rain. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
Grey skies in Dubai Sports City. Chris Whiteoak / The National
In its latest five-day weather bulletin, the NCM forecasts heavy rain in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and across the Northern Emirates throughout Wednesday.
It said winds of various strength could lift dust and sand, hampering visibility.
Windy, a global weather forecasting platform, predicts bouts of thunder and lightning could hit Dubai between 1pm and 10pm tonight.
Severe downpours are expected in Dubai from 1pm, with up to 25mm of rain expected throughout the day, Windy's online map shows.
In Abu Dhabi, thunder and lightning is expected from about 7pm to 10pm, with more rain on the way during the day.
Safety alert
The Ministry of Interior called on the public to exercise caution during the adverse weather, warning of heavy rain, hail, thunder and lightning in the coming days.
The ministry urged people to take care when driving, reduce their speed on the roads, avoid flood-prone areas and stay away from beaches and the sea.
UAE braces for storm
By Thursday evening, heavy rain is forecast to build in Abu Dhabi emirate before spreading nationwide.
An NCM forecaster told The National rain is set to begin in the west before moving across the country overnight until the morning. “The patterns can change,” the forecaster said. “But there will be heavy rain at times and strong winds.”
The full impact of the system remains uncertain, but high winds, thunderstorms and localised flooding are possible, with some international forecasters not ruling out a rare tornado in the region.
Jason Nicholls, lead international forecaster at AccuWeather, told The National that rain and thunderstorms will continue from eastern Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar and the UAE into eastern Oman until Friday.
“A strong area of low pressure aloft will enhance the coverage of the precipitation Thursday into Friday with a good chance for hail, damaging wind gusts, isolated tornadoes and areas of flash flooding,” he said. Mr Nicholls said there was a reported tornado along the coast of Saudi Arabia near Bahrain on Monday and that “the ingredients for a tornado will remain in place”.
