UAE weather alert: Rain in Fujairah, Sharjah, NCM warns of more rain, and dust this weekend

Dubai: The UAE is experiencing a refreshing start to the weekend, with scattered light rainfall reported across parts of the east this Friday morning. Showers have been observed in areas of Fujairah, Kalba, and Khor Fakkan. This pleasant weather is due to an extension of surface low pressure, accompanied by upper air low pressure systems from both the South and the North, along with a relatively cold air mass in the upper levels, as stated by the National Centre of Meteorology (NCM) in its advisory for conditions across the UAE until Monday, July 28.

The NCM has even forecast more rainfall this weekend, with the presence of mountains to the east causing local convective cloud formation over some eastern and northern areas, potentially extending into southern regions and bringing rainfall. Early today, the country also recorded its lowest temperature at a cool 24°C in Al Heben Mountain (Fujairah) at 4:30 am, highlighting the varied weather across the Emirates.

Earlier, NCM issued a weather alert this morning for dense fog across parts of Abu Dhabi, significantly reducing visibility. Motorists were advised to exercise extreme caution as the alert remained in effect until 8.30 am.

In response to the low visibility, Abu Dhabi Police posted a critical safety warning on social media. It urged drivers to adhere to a reduced maximum speed limit of 80 kilometres per hour on Abu Dhabi roads during periods of fog, emphasising the importance of this limit for the safety of all road users.

Looking at the forecast for today, the UAE is expected to experience partly cloudy and hazy conditions at times. There is a chance of some rainy cloud formation, especially eastward and extending to certain internal areas, which could bring scattered rainfall.

The current temperature is 34°C in Dubai and 32°C in Abu Dhabi, according to AccuWeather. Temperatures are set to increase across the board, with coastal areas and islands expecting highs between 39°C and 44°C. Internal regions could see temperatures soaring to 44°C to 49°C, while mountain areas will be relatively cooler, ranging from 33°C to 39°C.

The night and Saturday morning are forecast to be humid over some Western areas, with a probability of fog or mist formation. Winds will be light to moderate, but may become fresh to strong at times, particularly with clouds, potentially causing blowing dust and sand that could reduce horizontal visibility further across various regions. The sea will be slight in the Arabian Gulf and in the Oman Sea.