Stormy skies in UAE: Rain, hail and cascading waterfalls on Jebel Jais wadis

Ras Al Khaimah: A bout of intense winter weather swept across parts of the United Arab Emirates on Sunday, bringing heavy rain, hail, lightning and outbreaks of low‑lying fog as forecasters warned of unsettled conditions.

Residents in the northern emirates reported torrential showers, with rainwater cascading down rocky outcrops at Jebel Jais and transforming dry wadi beds into temporary waterfalls.

Social media footage showed sheets of rain in Ras Al Khaimah, accompanied by distant rumbles of thunder and bright flashes of lightning. 

In Abu Dhabi, authorities activated a speed‑reduction system on Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed International Road between Jebel Dhanna and Umm Al Ashtan after visibility dropped in thick fog.

The Abu Dhabi Police urged motorists to drive with caution, obey dynamic speed limits displayed on electronic boards, and stay alert amid rapidly changing conditions.

The National Centre of Meteorology forecast partially cloudy to occasionally overcast skies across coastal, northern and eastern regions on Sunday, with a chance of rainfall during the day and increasing humidity by night.

The centre also said there was potential for light fog to develop over coastal areas overnight and into Monday morning.

Winds shifted between south‑westerly and north‑westerly directions, strengthening at times to 40 kilometres per hour, contributing to the impression of a brisk, unsettled system.

Seas in both the Arabian Gulf and the Sea of Oman were generally slight to moderate, though conditions were occasionally choppy, particularly in the north.

Meteorologists said temperatures across the Emirates would settle in the high 20s Celsius by day, dropping into the high teens and low 20s at night, with elevated humidity levels, especially in coastal cities such as Dubai and Abu Dhabi.