Thunderstorms batter UAE, makes weather colder

Emadueddin Khalil, Staff Reporter

Thundershowers, owing to unstable weather conditions triggered by an expected depression, lashed many areas of the country on Saturday. Roads and wadis (valleys) were flooded, and motorists had a tough time wending their way through them.

Light to medium rain started to fall at 12 am on Al Ruwaise, Al Sila and other areas in Al Dhafra region, and Abu Dhabi and its suburbs witnessed light to heavy showers, which extended to the city of Al Ain and Ghantoot, as well as Arzanah.

Also, Jebel Jais, Al Rams and Habhab in Ras Al Khaimah, as well as in Sharjah, Ajman, Dubai, Fujairah and other regions, the National Centre of Meteorology (NCM) said.

In Sharjah there was light rain early in the morning, followed by a lull, when cloudy skies dominated. Then, as the day progressed, the cloud cover got thicker. It started bucketing down, around 2pm, across various parts of the emirate. Trees swayed to strong winds which slowed down movements of pedestrians. There was a huge traffic gridlock.

On Al Khan bridge, many cars crawled at a snail’s pace as the tailbacks got longer. Many vehicles had switched on their headlights. People scurried for cover and brollies were out as people walked about.

Heavy showers also rocked Dubai. The Dubai Police issued safety guidelines for motorists. In a statement, they said drivers should be focused and alert, and not get distracted by other things. They also directed them to abide by the speed limit and avoid flooded areas.

Cars crawled at a snail’s pace as the tailbacks got longer near Al Khan bridge.

The lowest temperatures recorded in the country on Saturday were 7.1°C in Jebel Jais in Ras Al Khaimah at 3:45 am, 9.8°C in Jebel Mabrah, 13.7°C in Jebel Hafeet and 13.8°C in Jabal, the NCM added. It called on the people to exercise caution while driving during the rain, and with poor visibility caused by rain and winds that raise dust and dirt, warned against approaching catchment areas and valleys. The police also, in a further cautionary note, urged people to avoid valleys, catchment areas and flooded areas.

The NCM also stated that the weather on Sunday would be partly cloudy in general and cloudy at times with a chance of rainfall during the daytime over some coastal, northern and eastern areas.

It could be humid by night and Monday morning with mist over some coastal and internal areas. Light to moderate northwesterly winds, freshening at times, reaching 40 km/hr were likely.

On Al Khan bridge, Sharjah, many cars crawled at a snail’s pace as the tailbacks got longer.

The waves could be rough to moderate in the Arabian Gulf and the Sea of Oman. On Monday, the weather could be partly cloudy in general and humid by night and Tuesday morning over some coastal areas.

The winds would be light to moderate northwesterly and northeasterly becoming southeasterly, freshening at times, reaching 35 km/hr. The waves would be slight to moderate in the Arabian Gulf and slight in the Oman Sea.

The NCM also said that the weather on Tuesday would be partly cloudy and dusty at times with rise in temperatures during the daytime, becoming cloudy over some areas by night with a probability of rainfall by Wednesday morning. They would turn moderate to fresh southwesterly, becoming northwesterly winds, with a speed of upto 40 km/hr.

Overcast skies and wet roads mark traffic in Abu Dhabi.

The waves would be moderate to rough in the Arabian Gulf and slight in the Oman Sea. On Wednesday, the weather is expected to be partly cloudy in general and cloudy at times with a chance of rainfall especially over coasts, islands and some northern and eastern areas with a significant fall in temperature.

The winds would be moderate to fresh northwesterly to northeasterly winds, with a speed of up to 40 km/hr. The waves would be rough in the Arabian Gulf and moderate to rough in the Sea of Oman.