Heavy rain has hit the UAE over the past week, leading to some schools closing and roads being sealed off.
But the downpours had another effect — the greening of the Sharjah desert.
Images shot by The National’s staff photographer Pawan Singh on Sunday captured the aftermath of several days of sustained rain on the usually parched land near Mleiha.
They show new wildflowers, thriving shrubs and a fresh carpet of green lining the desert plains along the road from Sharjah to Kalba.
Torrential rain started to fall in the UAE early last week and continued until Friday.
The downpours have stopped for now but temperatures remain low for the time of year. The National Centre of Meteorology on Sunday said the lowest temperature recorded across the UAE overnight was 1.9°C in Jebel Jais at 4.15am.
It forecast a low of 3ºC during the day in rural and mountainous locations, and a high of 22ºC in the hottest part of the day.
Temperatures dip across UAE — in pictures
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A security guard wraps up at a racing event in Dubai on January 28. Temperatures have dropped to single digits in the mornings and evenings. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
Hoodies and sweaters have been in demand in the city's shopping malls. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
Late January and early February are the coolest and wettest months in the UAE. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
Dubai woke to a chilly morning on Sunday, with the temperature hovering around 10°C. Pawan Singh / The National -
Recent downpours have led to green shoots of vegetation in the arid desert of Mleiha, Sharjah. Pawan Singh / The National -
Sharjah's normally dusty desert looks a little greener after recent rains. Pawan Singh / The National
