VIDEO: Sub-zero temperatures bring chilly nights in UAE

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

Record sub-zero temperatures have ushered in a cold spell in the UAE, prompting residents to bring out woollens and comforters.

The nights have become extremely cold with strong winds that could be harmful to humans.

The National Centre of Meteorology (NCM) forecast the weather for Monday to be chilly in the evening and pleasant during the day.

The weather body said temperatures would significantly decrease over western coasts.

The country recorded its lowest temperature on Saturday and Sunday. The weathermen noted the temperature below 0°C in the northern areas of Al Ain, UAE.

The weather station recorded -2°C at Raknah on Saturday morning.

The sudden drop in temperature is rare in the Emirates.

The Storm Centre UAE, a local weather body that tracks and shares videos, photos and forecast the weather, said on its Instagram account, “The water froze forming icicles on plants and shrubs.”

On Sunday, water was reported frozen in Al-Jea area in Al-Ain city due to the cold wave in the country.

A video circulating on social media showed people breaking a sheet of ice formed over a water body.

The NCM said the lowest temperature recorded over the country on Sunday was 2.3°C in the UAE town of Damtha near Al Ain at 6:45 UAE local time.

The highest temperature recorded over the country was 26°C in Sweihan at 16:15 UAE local time.

The NCM predicts the Tuesday weather to be humid by morning over internal areas westward with a probability of mist formation. It would be partly cloudy in general and some low clouds will appear westward.

Waves would be rough westward and moderate northward in the Arabian Gulf and slight to moderate in Oman Sea.

Last week, a remote area of UAE recorded 1.9°C.

The chilly weather across the country is linked to the unexpected lows in Raknah, a remote area in Abu Dhabi.

On the other hand, due to the current changing weather conditions, the Abu Dhabi Police are urging motorists to abide by traffic safety rules during the seasonal rain period, and not get distracted by taking photos or using phones while driving. According to Article (32) of UAE traffic rules, motorists will be slapped with a fine of Dhs800 and 4 traffic points for using phones while being on roads, which could lead to the driver’s distraction and cause traffic accidents.

On Thursday, different areas of the country were hit by rain due to an extension of a shallow air depression to the east of the country, with a weak air depression in the upper layers, which resulted in inclement weather conditions.

Last year, heavy snowfall and rain were witnessed on Jais Mountain in Ras Al Khaimah. The rain saw some unusual scenes: residents sharing videos of boating in cities, and huge tailbacks on waterlogged streets. The snow in Ras Al Khaimah allowed some to make snowmen on mountaintops.