Put your sunglasses to one side and unpack your umbrella ... the UAE looks set for three days of rain as the first throes of winter arrive.
And, as if right on cue, the wet spell comes almost exactly one year after one of the most extreme storms in recent years.
High winds and rain swept through Abu Dhabi on Sunday after midday, severely reducing visibility. Abu Dhabi Police also sent out an emergency alert calling on drivers to be careful due to the conditions.
Thunderstorms also hit areas of Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah and Sharjah on Saturday night and continued on Sunday morning.
Last week, the National Centre of Meteorology forecast rain on Saturday, Sunday and Monday in Dubai and on Sunday and Monday in the capital.
The Northern Emirates, which tend to bear the brunt of the rains, are set to be wet across the three days as well.
Temperatures are expected to hover around 34°C while wind speeds will reach up to 38 kilometres per hour.
Earlier, the NCM earlier warned of potential flash floods in the east and north of the country, with "thunder and lightning over different parts of the country".
A ridge of high pressure was approaching from the north west, while an upper air trough of low pressure was set to move in from the north-east.
'Stay indoors, do not go out'
It was November 11, 2018 when the phones of Abu Dhabi residents starting making a loud, buzzing noise.
“I thought my mobile was going to explode,” wrote one member of the Abu Dhabi Q&A Facebook page.
The rain had started early that evening, with strong, gusty winds whipping up sand against a backdrop of flashes of lightning.
Tree branches broke off and debris from construction sites was sent hurtling through the air.
The reason for the buzzing phones was a warning message sent by Abu Dhabi Police, which read: "Due to the bad weather please stay indoors and do not go out."
British pop star Dua Lipa was expected to perform at Louvre Abu Dhabi but the show was cancelled "due to dangerous weather".
Forecasters confirmed that eight months' worth of rain – 49.4 millimetres – fell in just one hour in an area between Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
The storms caused tailbacks between the capital and Dubai, with commuters witnessing dramatic scenes as the road became flooded and the sky lit up with regular flashes.
Last month, the country's east coast was hit by Cyclone Kyarr, the biggest storm in the Arabian Sea in a decade, with schools forced to close and homes flooded.
The storm caused damage at the Miramar resort at the popular area of Al Aqah as the waves destroyed a restaurant and washed away chairs and tables.
A worker at a hotel in Fujairah drowned after he was swept out to sea during the storms.
November weather explained
This month is the second in the transitional period, the NCM said.
Temperatures are usually four to six degrees cooler than during October.
"The country experiences winds coming in from Siberia, especially in the second half of the month, which results in lower temperatures and colder evenings, especially in the mountainous and desert areas," the NCM said.
It also said that cold air pockets in the upper levels of the atmosphere lead to an increase in cloud, rain and strong winds carrying sand and dust.
Humidity levels rise during the mornings, with an average of 85 per cent experienced across the month.
The highest temperature in the UAE for November is 38.8°C, which was recorded in 2009, while the lowest is 4.1°C, which was recorded at Jebel Jais in 2009.
The highest amount of rainfall was recorded at Delma Island in 2013 when 211.4mm of water fell.
The foggiest November was in 2016, when 13 days of heavy fog were recorded, along with six days of light fog.
The highest wind speed was 97km\h in Ruwais in 2013.
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
23-man shortlist for next six Hall of Fame inductees
Tony Adams, David Beckham, Dennis Bergkamp, Sol Campbell, Eric Cantona, Andrew Cole, Ashley Cole, Didier Drogba, Les Ferdinand, Rio Ferdinand, Robbie Fowler, Steven Gerrard, Roy Keane, Frank Lampard, Matt Le Tissier, Michael Owen, Peter Schmeichel, Paul Scholes, John Terry, Robin van Persie, Nemanja Vidic, Patrick Viera, Ian Wright.
MATCH INFO
Serie A
Juventus v Fiorentina, Saturday, 8pm (UAE)
Match is on BeIN Sports
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The Vines - In Miracle Land
Two stars
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Stamp duty timeline
December 2014: Former UK finance minister George Osbourne reforms stamp duty, replacing the slab system with a blended rate scheme, with the top rate increasing to 12 per cent from 10 per cent:
Up to £125,000 - 0%; £125,000 to £250,000 – 2%; £250,000 to £925,000 – 5%; £925,000 to £1.5m: 10%; Over £1.5m – 12%
April 2016: New 3% surcharge applied to any buy-to-let properties or additional homes purchased.
July 2020: Rishi Sunak unveils SDLT holiday, with no tax to pay on the first £500,000, with buyers saving up to £15,000.
March 2021: Mr Sunak decides the fate of SDLT holiday at his March 3 budget, with expectations he will extend the perk unti June.
April 2021: 2% SDLT surcharge added to property transactions made by overseas buyers.
The biog
Age: 23
Occupation: Founder of the Studio, formerly an analyst at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi
Education: Bachelor of science in industrial engineering
Favourite hobby: playing the piano
Favourite quote: "There is a key to every door and a dawn to every dark night"
Family: Married and with a daughter
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How does ToTok work?
The calling app is available to download on Google Play and Apple App Store
To successfully install ToTok, users are asked to enter their phone number and then create a nickname.
The app then gives users the option add their existing phone contacts, allowing them to immediately contact people also using the application by video or voice call or via message.
Users can also invite other contacts to download ToTok to allow them to make contact through the app.
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
The tours
A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
BRIEF SCORES
England 353 and 313-8 dec
(B Stokes 112, A Cook 88; M Morkel 3-70, K Rabada 3-85)
(J Bairstow 63, T Westley 59, J Root 50; K Maharaj 3-50)
South Africa 175 and 252
(T Bavuma 52; T Roland-Jones 5-57, J Anderson 3-25)
(D Elgar 136; M Ali 4-45, T Roland-Jones 3-72)
Result: England won by 239 runs
England lead four-match series 2-1
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More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final:
First leg: Liverpool 5 Roma 2
Second leg: Wednesday, May 2, Stadio Olimpico, Rome
TV: BeIN Sports, 10.45pm (UAE)
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
Profile Periscope Media
Founder: Smeetha Ghosh, one co-founder (anonymous)
Launch year: 2020
Employees: four – plans to add another 10 by July 2021
Financing stage: $250,000 bootstrap funding, approaching VC firms this year
Investors: Co-founders
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
RIDE%20ON
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The 12
England
Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur
Italy
AC Milan, Inter Milan, Juventus
Spain
Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, Real Madrid
FIXTURES
Thu Mar 15 – West Indies v Afghanistan, UAE v Scotland
Fri Mar 16 – Ireland v Zimbabwe
Sun Mar 18 – Ireland v Scotland
Mon Mar 19 – West Indies v Zimbabwe
Tue Mar 20 – UAE v Afghanistan
Wed Mar 21 – West Indies v Scotland
Thu Mar 22 – UAE v Zimbabwe
Fri Mar 23 – Ireland v Afghanistan
The top two teams qualify for the World Cup
Classification matches
The top-placed side out of Papua New Guinea, Hong Kong or Nepal will be granted one-day international status. UAE and Scotland have already won ODI status, having qualified for the Super Six.
Thu Mar 15 – Netherlands v Hong Kong, PNG v Nepal
Sat Mar 17 – 7th-8th place playoff, 9th-10th place playoff
Killing of Qassem Suleimani