VIDEO: UAE experiences heavy rain after cloud seeding, 4 missing in Oman floods

Emadeddin Khalil, Staff Reporter

Several parts in the country witnessed rain of varying degrees of intensity on Saturday morning, ranging from light to medium and sometimes heavy, due to an extension of a surface low-pressure system, accompanied by an extension of an upper air low pressure, according to the National Centre of Meteorology (NCM).

Dusty and partly cloudy to cloudy at times weather, with some rainy convective clouds over scattered areas, with another decrease in temperatures was experienced on Saturday.

Light to moderate winds freshening at times and strong caused blowing dust and sand, which reduced the horizontal visibility and affected movement of pedestrians and vehicles.

Temperatures appeared to have gone down a few notches in the wake of the rainfall.

The lowest temperature recorded over the country on Saturday morning was 18.9°C in Jebel Jais (Ras Al Khaimah ) at 3.15am local time, according to the National Centre of Meteorology (NCM).

There was light to moderate rain over Al Riqa, Wasit (Sharjah), Al Rawdah (Ajman), light to moderate rain over Al Khawaneej in Dubai, moderate rain over scattered areas of Fujairah, moderate rain over Al Sharya, Sakamkam, Al Souda in Fujairah.

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The areas of Al Amerah / Salamat (Al Ain), Seih Sedirah and Al Rahbah (Abu Dhabi), Al Riqqa and Wasit (Sharjah), Al Rawda and Masfout (Ajman) witnessed light rain, while Hatta and Al Khawaneej (Dubai), Mamdouh Wasfni and Dafta (Ras Al Khaimah) witnessed light rain. Muzairah (Ajman), Masafi (Fujairah) / Dafta (Ras Al Khaimah) saw light to medium rain, while some scattered areas in Fujairah such as Al Sharya, Sakamkam, Al Souda, Al Fsail and Al Qurayya, and Ras Ghumeis (Al Dhafra region) witnessed medium rain.

The areas of Rafaq in Ras Al Khaimah and Maskana in Fujairah witnessed heavy rain, which caused surface run-offs, according to the NCM.

As for the Sultanate of Oman, 3 men and a woman have been reported missing due to heavy rain and flooded valleys.

In addition, two drowning cases were recorded. The rescue efforts are continuing amid expectations that rain will continue, the authorities confirmed.

In a related context, the NCM has carried out 126 cloud seeding flights, since the beginning of 2021, including 14 flights since last Tuesday, at a rate of two to three hours for each one on most of the country's regions.

The National Centre of Meteorology urged the public to exercise caution while driving amid rainfall and poor horizontal visibility. It also advised people to stay away from surface run-offs caused by rainwater.

The Abu Dhabi Police also called on drivers to be careful due to the rainy weather, and to abide by the variable speed limits shown on signboards and electronic screens.

The NCM has also indicated that the weather on Sunday and Monday is expected to be partly cloudy to cloudy and dusty at times, with some rainy convective clouds especially over Eastern areas.

Light to moderate southeasterly to northeasterly winds freshening at times, causing blowing dust and sand reducing the horizontal visibility at times, with a speed of 15 – 25 reaching 40 km/hr.

The sea will be rough to moderate in the Arabian Gulf and in Oman Sea.

It has also said that the weather on Tuesday will be partly cloudy in general and dusty at times during daytime, with a chance of some convective clouds formation over some Eastern areas. With an increase in temperatures.

Light to moderate Southeasterly to Northeasterly winds freshening at times causing blowing dust, with a speed of 15 – 25 reaching 40 km/hr. The sea will be slight to moderate in the Arabian Gulf and in Oman Sea.