UAE weather forecast: Rain, thunderstorms hit Sharjah as temperatures soar to 50.9°C

Dubai: Parts of the UAE witnessed a dramatic contrast in weather conditions on Thursday, as thunderstorms and heavy rain swept across the central region of Sharjah even as temperatures in the interior climbed above the 50°C mark.

Storm trackers reported heavy rainfall over the Maliha area in the central region on Thursday afternoon. Thundery showers were also reported over Madam and areas to its west in Sharjah's central region, bringing welcome relief to residents after a scorching day.

Along the country's East Coast, clouds formed during the day, accompanied by intermittent drizzle over some areas,a familiar late-summer pattern driven by moist southeasterly flows from the Arabian Sea.

The convective activity came on one of the hottest days of the season so far. The highest temperature recorded in the country on Thursday was 50.9°C, registered in Al Faqa in the Al Ain region at 1.30pm, and matched later in Madinat Zayed in Al Dhafra Region at 2.45pm.

The combination of intense daytime heating and moisture pushing in from the east created ideal conditions for the towering cumulus clouds that typically build over the eastern mountains and drift towards inland areas during August afternoons.

Friday, August 14: The weather will be fair to partly cloudy at times, becoming cloudy at times over northern and eastern areas by night and into Saturday morning, with a chance of light rainfall. Winds will be light to moderate southeasterly, shifting to northwesterly and freshening at times, blowing at 10–20km/h and reaching up to 35km/h. Seas will be slight in both the Arabian Gulf and the Sea of Oman.

Saturday, August 15: Fair to partly cloudy conditions are expected. It will turn humid by night and into Sunday morning over some coastal areas, with a probability of mist formation. Light to moderate southeasterly winds will become northwesterly, freshening at times at 10–20km/h and reaching 35km/h. Seas will remain slight in the Arabian Gulf and the Sea of Oman.

Sunday, August 16: Skies will be partly cloudy to cloudy at times over some northern and eastern areas, which may be associated with light rainfall. Humid conditions will prevail by night and into Monday morning over some coastal areas, with a probability of mist. Winds will be light to moderate southwesterly to northwesterly at 10–20km/h, reaching 30km/h. Seas will be slight in the Arabian Gulf and the Sea of Oman.

With rain and reduced visibility possible over inland and mountain roads, motorists travelling through the central region and along eastern routes are advised to exercise caution, maintain safe distances and avoid wadis and flood-prone areas during and after rainfall. Residents in coastal areas should also be prepared for early-morning mist over the weekend, which can affect visibility on major highways.