Rain and thunder to sweep through UAE by weekend

Ridge of low pressure is approaching the country

Rain is expected across the UAE towards the end of the week. Courtesy Windy.com
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Rain, thunder and gusts of up to 60kph are set to sweep through parts of the UAE by Friday.

Downpours are due to first hit northern and eastern areas of the country but the deepening area of low pressure is predicted to bring rain to all parts by Friday.

The change in conditions is expected by Wednesday evening when a ridge of low pressure approaches from the west, the National Centre of Meteorology (NCM) said.

Forecasters also cautioned that cold, northwesterly winds reaching speeds of 60kph could whip up dust clouds over exposed areas, cutting visibility and leading to difficult conditions for motorists.

For anyone thinking of heading into the sea, forecasters also cautioned of rough conditions in the Arabian Gulf and Sea of Oman.

The bout of bad weather is set to persist into Saturday, with dust clouds, reduced visibility and a drop in temperatures forecast.

The UAE has come through a pattern of unsettled weather in the past few weeks. Temperatures have fallen as low as 5°C in some parts, while even the UAE’s cloud-seeding planes are back in the skies with at least 20 missions carried out during February.

Cloud seeding is a method used to induce more rain from a cloud by shooting salt flares into them. Salt naturally attracts water. But how much rainfall generated is hard to quantify, with the NCM saying more studies are needed.

Despite the year-round sunshine in the UAE, storms can swiftly sweep through the country.

Last November, Louvre Abu Dhabi cancelled a concert by pop superstar Dua Lipa after wind and rain ripped through the capital in a matter of hours.