Country witnesses light to medium rainfall

Mohamed Alaa, Staff Reporter

ABU DHABI: Various parts of the country witnessed light, medium to heavy rainfall in the early hours of Friday.

The rains were medium to heavy in the city of Abu Dhabi, and around its districts, including Rahba, Shahama, Ghantoot and Alajban. It was light to medium in Dubai, while areas of Dhaid, Shelilah, Al-Mansura, and Emirates Road in Sharjah, Falaj Al Mulla in Umm Al Quwain, Fujairah, Ras Al-Khaimah, Ajman and Al Fujairah witnessed light to heavy rains.

The lowest temperature on Friday was monitored in Rakna area in Al Ain at 10.5 ºC, according to the National Centre of Meteorology (NCM).

The country is affected by a low surface air that is extending from the south of Saudi Arabia accompanied by a low air from the west driving clouds from the centre and south of the KSA towards the UAE at times, the NCM explained.

The weather is expected to be cloudy and rainy until Tuesday. It will be dusty and partly cloudy to cloudy over most areas, with a rainfall of different intensity, may be thundery at times, north and eastward. Fresh southeasterly to north easterly winds and strong at times especially over the sea, may blow dust over the exposed areas, with poor horizontal visibility with a speed of 25–40km/h, reaching 60km/h at times. Sea will be rough to very rough at times in the Arabian Gulf and in Oman Sea. The NCM expects that the temperatures today (Saturday) will be in the range of 21˚C-32ºC in Abu Dhabi, 22˚C-30ºC in Dubai, 21˚C-29 ºC in Sharjah, 22˚C-28 ºC in Ajman, 20˚C-27 ºC in Umm Al Quwain, 20˚C-27 ºC in Ras Al Khaimah, 21˚C-28 ºC in Fujairah and 21˚C-31 ºC in Al Ain.

The temperatures may increase on Sunday with a rainfall over the northern and eastern areas in the county, while it will be dusty and cloudy with opportunities of light rains over the sea on Monday.

The NCM also predicts that the weather on Tuesday and Wednesday will be generally cloudy with scattered rains over the coasts and the northern parts.

Earlier, the NCM predicted the Friday weather to be dusty and cloudy in most areas, with the chances of rain, especially on the coasts and north and east of the country.

The NCM expected the wind to be southeasterly to northeasterly with moderate to high-speed, especially on the sea, ranging from 25 to 35km/h, sometimes increasing up to 50km/h, which will stir dust and result in low horizontal visibility.

The sea is expected to be turbulent in the Arabian Gulf and the Sea of Oman.