A weather warning has been issued across parts of the UAE as heavy rain and hail storms swept the eastern areas of the Emirates.
Flooding streets and gusty winds were reported in areas of Sharjah with videos posted to Twitter showing hail hitting the ground.
The National Centre of Meteorology issued an alert, calling for people in the region to stay away from wadis and areas where flash flooding my occur.
The stormy weather followed a day of cloudy skies and high humidity.
The rain was reported in Al Bataeh and Al Madam in Sharjah, inthe eastern part of the emirate, and in Al Ain and Al Dhafra in Abu Dhabi.
The bureau warned of clouds associated with rain and strong winds of up to 45kph. It said the wind would blow dust and sand, reducing visibility at times.
The weather prompted a red "take action" warning on the north-eastern border with Oman, asking people to be "extremely vigilant" because hazardous weather events of "exceptional severity" are expected.
Forecasters also issued an orange "be prepared" alert along the southern border with Saudi Arabia.
It is not unusual for rain storms to occur during the UAE's summer. In July last year, while many people baked in the scorching summer heat, parts of the UAE were lashed by flash floods, thunderstorms and lightning.
During the summer, the monsoons bring water-soaked clouds from India to the Arabian Peninsula. This causes the phenomenon known as khareef in Oman, where the desert turns green, and it also brings rain to the UAE's mountainous east.
Hail occurs when strong currents of rising air, otherwise known as updrafts, carry droplets of water up high enough to freeze – as the higher you go, the colder it gets. And the stronger an updraft, the larger a hailstone can grow.
Updrafts can be caused by the sun heating the ground, which causes the surrounding air to rise, creating the perfect conditions for hail, even in the hot UAE desert.
This type of phenomenon occurs most often during early summer, according to forecasters. This is because the surface temperatures are high enough to create instability associated with strong thunderstorms, but the upper atmosphere remains cooler.
Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Manchester City (0) v Liverpool (3)
Uefa Champions League, quarter-final, second leg
Where: Etihad Stadium
When: Tuesday, 10.45pm
Live on beIN Sports HD
Other acts on the Jazz Garden bill
Sharrie Williams
The American singer is hugely respected in blues circles due to her passionate vocals and songwriting. Born and raised in Michigan, Williams began recording and touring as a teenage gospel singer. Her career took off with the blues band The Wiseguys. Such was the acclaim of their live shows that they toured throughout Europe and in Africa. As a solo artist, Williams has also collaborated with the likes of the late Dizzy Gillespie, Van Morrison and Mavis Staples.
Lin Rountree
An accomplished smooth jazz artist who blends his chilled approach with R‘n’B. Trained at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, DC, Rountree formed his own band in 2004. He has also recorded with the likes of Kem, Dwele and Conya Doss. He comes to Dubai on the back of his new single Pass The Groove, from his forthcoming 2018 album Stronger Still, which may follow his five previous solo albums in cracking the top 10 of the US jazz charts.
Anita Williams
Dubai-based singer Anita Williams will open the night with a set of covers and swing, jazz and blues standards that made her an in-demand singer across the emirate. The Irish singer has been performing in Dubai since 2008 at venues such as MusicHall and Voda Bar. Her Jazz Garden appearance is career highlight as she will use the event to perform the original song Big Blue Eyes, the single from her debut solo album, due for release soon.
The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
Groom and Two Brides
Director: Elie Semaan
Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla
Rating: 3/5
What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
Fixtures:
Thursday:
Hatta v Al Jazira, 4.55pm
Al Wasl v Dibba, 7.45pm
Friday:
Al Dhafra v Al Nasr, 5.05pm
Shabab Al Ahli Dubai v Al Wahda, 7.45pm
Saturday:
Ajman v Emirates, 4.55pm
Al Ain v Sharjah, 7.45pm
