Al Ain: The unsettled weather conditions which have battered the region are set to continue.
The weather system has caused major disruption in much of the Arabian Peninsula, Riyadh in particular was hit on Saturday. A trail of thick cloud is currently passing through the Arabian Gulf over Qatar, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, moving towards Iran.
On Monday the UAE is set to witness a drop in temperature with a chance of rain at times in the northern and eastern emirates.
The weather, however, is not likely to affect the 13th Dubai Airshow that began on Sunday at its new permanent purpose-built home at Dubai World Central. A National Centre of Meteorology and Seismology (NCMS) forecaster said that aerial displays are always in accordance with the weather conditions and a continuous advisory is issued for pilots.
The national weather bureau has warned people to take precautions against chilly and windy conditions. Motorists are also advised to exercise caution on wet roads and fishermen are advised not to go to sea due to stormy conditions in the Arabian Gulf.
The weather will be partly cloudy during the week as the region has been experiencing an atmospheric depression. A subtropical jet stream moving southwards has caused strong winds. This has seen clouds form over the northern and eastern mountainous areas.
“Rain is likely to hit these areas from time to time,” said a forecaster.
Conditions could also be windy in some areas but the wind is likely to be moderate to fresh in general. It will, however, be strong at times with cloud activity, especially over the sea, kicking up dust and sand at times in some inland areas, according to the NCMS.
The system has resulted in scattered rain in Fujairah, Ras Al Khaimah and some mountainous areas in the east over the past few days. Heavy rain also hit Khor Fakkan, Ras Al Khaimah, Umm Al Quwain, Wadi Al Halo, and Dalma Island, on Sunday around midday.
The NCMS issued a flash flood warning.
Abdul Razzaq, a Khor Fakkan resident, said the rain was very heavy and flooded roads, residential areas, and low-lying areas in minutes. Traffic was crawling and mountain roads became dangerous due to rainwater and falling stones. No accidents were, however, reported in the area. Thunderstorms also hit a number of UAE islands in the Arabian Gulf.
According to the NCMS weather bulletin for the next 48 hours, the weather in the UAE will continue to be partly cloudy with a chance of rain in some areas at times in the north and east. The sea will be rough to very rough and winds could kick up dust and sand in inland areas.
The maximum daytime temperature will be 29 to 33 degrees Celsius across the country dropping to 10 to 20 degree Celsius at night. People in desert areas should be prepared for chilly night-time temperatures.
The UAE weather centre has denied alleged US Navy warnings regarding the exposure of the UAE to hurricanes.
