Al Ain: Hail pounded Hatta Thursday afternoon while rain in Al Ain gave residents a break from several days of sweltering sun.
The stormy weather conditions started at 4.30pm when clouds appeared on the horizon. Strong winds swept through the area and some lightning was also seen in the Oasis City. Clouds dominated the skies for almost 20 minutes before the rain followed.
The National Centre of Meteorology and Seismology (NCMS) confirmed the hailstorm in Hatta saying that it was a quick downpour. The centre reported 6mm of rain in Khatam Al Shakla, an eastern district of Al Ain, 0.6mm in Al Ain city and 0.2mm in the Al Foah district.
The clouds were covering a wide area from the south of the country to the eastern mountains.
Scattered rain also fell in Ajman's Wadi Al Hilo, and parts of Ras Al Khaimah and Sharjah.
Temperatures are set to show no mercy this weekend.
The mercury has risen to 47C in some areas and reached the mid-40s in major cities — with Al Ain on top.
Eastern mountainous and southern areas have seen afternoon light rain and dusty wind over the last couple of days.
"We expect the development of convective clouds with some chance of rain in the eastern areas," said a forecaster. He said conditions would be hot in general in the rest of the country with occasional haze.
The burning sun has forced people indoors with streets deserted during the day.
The forecaster said convective clouds are formed due to instability caused by the heat. The air lifts up and converts into clouds after hitting cold air above.
Conditions are harsh, the forecaster said, and people should limit their outdoor activities to avoid sunburn, heat exhaustion and heatstroke.
He also warned people planning a trip to the beach over the weekend. "The seasonal amount of ultra-violet radiation of the sun has also increased and prolonged exposure to it could lead to severe health hazards," he said.
High-risk groups include children, the elderly, European expatriates and people with fair skin. Those who have just arrived in the country should be extra careful, he said.
In Fujairah, residents celebrated the rain. Pakistani Madiha Tahir said: "At around five in the afternoon, I saw my friend's BBM status saying that it was raining, and so I quickly rushed to the balcony.
"It was beautiful, there was a thunderstorm and the wind was so cool and the rain was very heavy that in few minutes all the roads were filled with water."
