VIDEO: Heavy rain with hailstones batter Al Ain region, motorists urged to exercise caution

Emadeddin Khalil, Staff Reporter

Heavy rain and hailstorms battered several areas of Al Ain on Friday afternoon. Videos shared online showed the rain uprooted trees and flooded streets in Al Ain city.

The Abu Dhabi Police issued weather alerts, warning residents and motorists to avoid valleys and water bodies.

The National Centre of Meteorology (NCM) reported that the country on Friday witnessed moderate to heavy rain with hailstones, after the region was affected by an extension of a surface low-pressure system from the east, accompanied by an extension of weak upper air low-pressure system.

Light to medium rain fell on Khatam Al Shukla, Um Ghafa and Foah, while heavy rain with hailstones fell on Malaqet and Al Hayer in Al Ain in Abu Dhabi, and other separate areas.

The NCM also indicated that the lowest temperature recorded in the country on Friday was 25.3°C in Al Farfar area in Fujairah at 7:45 am, while the highest temperature recorded in the country was 49°C in Azimul in Al Ain at 2:45 pm the same day.

The National Centre of Meteorology appealed to individuals to be careful and exercise caution while driving during rainfall, and advised them to stay away from flooded areas.

In the same context, the Abu Dhabi Police called on drivers to be careful due to rainy weather conditions, and to adhere to the variable speed limits shown on the electronic signboard, as the speed limit has been reduced to 120 km/ h on Al Ain - Dubai Road (Al Hayer - Al Faqaa)

According to the expectations of the NCM, the temperatures expected on Saturday will be in the range of 33-43°C in Abu Dhabi, 35-42°C in Dubai, 32-42°C in Sharjah, 33-41°C in Ajman, 33-41°C in Umm Al Quwain, 32-44°C in Ras Al Khaimah, 29-36°C in Fujairah, 32-47°C in Al Ain, 30-47°C in Liwa and 30-44°C in Al Ruwais.

The NCM has also indicated that the weather on Saturday is expected to be fair in general to partly cloudy in general.

Low clouds will appear over the eastern coast by the morning, with a chance of some convective clouds formating by the afternoon over eastern and southern areas that may be associated with rain.

It will be humid by night and Sunday morning over some western coastal areas. The winds will be light to moderate, northwesterly becoming southeasterly, freshening at times, blowing dust during daytime, at a speed of 10 – 25 reaching up to 40 km/hr. The waves will be slight in the Arabian Gulf and in the Sea of Oman.

Sunday’s weather is expected to be fair to partly cloudy in general. Low clouds will appear over the eastern coast by morning, with a chance of cumulus cloud formations by the afternoon eastward and southward with a probability of rainfall.

It will be humid by night and Monday morning over some western areas with a probability of mist. The winds will be light to moderate, southeasterly to northeasterly, freshening at times blowing dust during daytime at a speed of 10 – 25 reaching up to 40 Km/hr. The wave will be slight in the Arabian Gulf and slight to moderate in the Sea of Oman.

The NCM also expects Monday’s weather to be fair to partly cloudy in general. Low clouds will appear over the eastern coast by the morning, with a chance of cumulus cloud formations by the afternoon eastward and southward with a probability of rainfall. It will be humid by night and Tuesday morning over some coastal areas.

The winds will be light to moderate, southeasterly to northeasterly, freshening at times blowing dust during daytime at a speed of 10 – 25 reaching up to 40 Km/hr. The waves will be slight to moderate in the Arabian Gulf and slight in the Sea of Oman.