UAE weather: more rain in Dubai and Abu Dhabi likely after New Year’s Day deluge

Intense rain could batter the UAE on Monday and Tuesday after some areas received a year’s worth in only eight hours

Carissa, 6, left, and her sister Danica Rodrigues, 5, feed seagulls on New Year’s Day on the Corniche, Abu Dhabi. Khushnum Bhandari / The National

Dark clouds gather over Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi. Khushnum Bhandari / The National

New Year’s Day brought cool weather and cloudy skies to the UAE capital. Khushnum Bhandari / The National

Cool weather and cloudy skies along the Corniche, Abu Dhabi. Khushnum Bhandari / The National

The Marina Eye Ferris wheel and Fairmont Marina hotel from behind a billboard along the Corniche. Khushnum Bhandari / The National

Feeding seagulls on the Corniche in Abu Dhabi. Khushnum Bhandari / The National

A cloudy start to the new year in the capital. Tim Knowles / The National

Seagulls gather along Abu Dhabi Corniche. Khushnum Bhandari / The National

Abu Dhabi from on high. Tim Knowles / The National

New Year’s Day in the UAE capital. Khushnum Bhandari / The National

Cloudy skies and windy weather greet visitors at the Corniche, Abu Dhabi. Khushnum Bhandari / The National

A man uses an umbrella in Al Quoz, a largely industrial area of Dubai. Khushnum Bhandari / The National

Heavy rain caused roads to become flooded in parts of Al Quoz. Khushnum Bhandari / The National

A road sign advises motorists to ‘Slow down, watch for water ponds’ on a highway in Dubai. Khushnum Bhandari / The National

A tree felled by the extreme weather lies in Al Quoz, Dubai. Khushnum Bhandari / The National

Roads in Al Quoz remained slippery. Khushnum Bhandari / The National

More bad weather is forecast after parts of the UAE received up to a year’s worth of rain in the early hours of New Year’s Day.

High winds also swept through large parts of the country, stretching from Abu Dhabi to Fujairah and Al Ain, early on Saturday.

The wild weather started before sunrise and lasted well over an hour in some places.

Heavy rainfall continued across the country throughout the day.

The National Centre of Meteorology issued a warning and said more stormy weather was expected in the days to come.

Another weather system is expected to approach the UAE from the north on Monday and Tuesday, a forecaster at the bureau said.

It could bring even more rain than the band that swept through the country overnight.

“We expect more rain in the next few days. Especially Monday to Tuesday,” the meteorologist said.

Almost everywhere will be at risk of rain, he said, after the south and west were spared Saturday’s deluge.

“It will be over scattered areas,” he said.

“But still we have a good chance of seeing more on Sunday over a scattered area because of this trough.”

About a year’s worth of rain - 99.2mm - fell in Saih Al Salam in Dubai, which includes Al Qudra Lakes, Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park and Bab Al Shams Desert Resort & Spa, in the first eight-and-a-half hours of 2022.

Parts of Abu Dhabi city received up to 22mm, and an area of Dubai received 49.5mm of rain.

Residents in the capital took to social media to state they had never seen rain like it. The bad weather triggered apartment fire alarms and scattered garden toys and furniture.

“Never seen anything like that in here … it’s been going on for more than an hour. House is totally flooded, starting to get scary right now,” wrote one member of the Abu Dhabi Q&A Facebook page.

Abu Dhabi City Golf Club warned members the course would not open until 1pm on Saturday, after trees were toppled.

“Great work from our maintenance teams to get the course and driving range back on track after the storm last night,” the club posted on its Instagram account, along with a picture of a fallen tree.

“Unfortunately, a few trees are down. Course back open 1pm. Walking only. Happy New Year.”

Wild weather is uncommon but not unheard of in the UAE.

In October, parts of the country were hit by Cyclone Shaheen, which was accompanied by winds of up 110 kilometres an hour after it made landfall in Oman.

In January 2020, the UAE also experienced a bout of heavy rain, which swept through the region.

During a typical January in the Emirates, about 10 millimetres of rain fall, on average.