Heavy downpours predicted

Dubai/Abu Dhabi: The northern emirates and Dubai will be pounded with heavy rain from Sunday with winds reaching speeds of 45kph.

The lowest minimum temperatures are expected to be recorded in Sharjah and Ras Al Khaimah, with the mercury dropping as low as 12 degrees celsius there.

The heavy downpours may cause flash flooding in wadis and mountainous areas, so residents need to be extra cautious, according to Amnah Yasin, the duty forecaster at Dubai Meteorological Office on Saturday.

Light rainfall dampened Dubai on Friday, falling to around 1.8 centimetres.

"We are expecting significant rainfall from Sunday to Tuesday all over the UAE. Temperatures will reach a maximum of 19C with a minimum temperature of 16C in Dubai," she said.

Sea conditions are also very rough and a warning issued yesterday to all seafarers remains in force today. "Winds are very strong and are likely to pick up again," said Yasin.

According to a forecaster at the National Centre of Meteorology and Seismology in Abu Dhabi (NCMS) there will be a fall in temperature in most of the country.

Interior areas will have fresh winds with haze.

At sea, the Gulf of Oman will experience moderate conditions but it will be moderate to rough in the Arabian Gulf. Wave height will be 2-4 feet inshore and 4-6 offshore but may reach 6-8 feet at times in the Arabian Gulf. It will be 1-3 feet inshore and 3-5 feet offshore in the Gulf of Oman.

The weather was cloudy in general all over the country yesterday with rain and thunder, especially in northern and coastal areas.

Flights from Abu Dhabi and Dubai did not face any problems. "It was drizzling but operations were not affected," said an official.