On Thursday afternoon, residents reported of dusty weather in different parts of Dubai. The Met Office has issued a dusty weather alert in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, warning motorists to be careful while driving, due to reduced horizontal visibility.
The NCM shared yellow and orange alerts, indicating where dust was expected.
A senior NCM official told Gulf News that visibility will be reduced to less than 1,000 metres due to the dust.
"Strong winds are expected throughout the day, at a speed of 15 –25 km/h, reaching up to 40 km/h at times.
"The change in the weather pattern is due to strong Southwesterly to Northwesterly winds causing dust and sand to be suspend in the air. The winds are also expected to kick up dust and sand during the day, getting stronger with the cloud activity. Western areas like Abu Dhabi, Al Ain and western parts of Dubai are affected the most."
Drivers should be careful on the road as the dust might hinder visibility. Those who suffer from allergies should also take precautions when going outside.
According to the National Center of Meteorology, clouds will also be seen "at times especially over some western and Eastern areas".
The weather bureau stated that the eastern parts of the country will experience light rainfall from Friday, May 19 to Sunday, May 21 with clouds decreasing on Monday.
Cloudy skies associated with rain, especially in the eastern and western regions such as Fujairah and Abu Dhabi are also expected, the official added.
Such conditions are expected till Sunday, according to a statement by the NCM.
Temperatures are expected to remain hot on Thursday, with maximum temperatures hitting low to mid 40s. The maximum humidity is expected to reach 95 per cent.
From Friday till Sunday dusty and hazy skies are expected with a decrease in temperature, the official said.
The NCM official also warned the public about rough conditions at sea.
“People should avoid activities near the beach and at the sea due to rough conditions,” he added.
