WATCH: Heavy rain and thunderstorm hit parts of UAE amid rising temperatures
Strong northwesterly winds to cause dust and rough seas by Friday
DUBAI: Heavy rainfall struck parts of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) over the weekend, with more unstable weather expected throughout the week.
On Sunday, the eastern and central regions experienced moderate to heavy downpours, particularly in Al Madam, Sharjah, and Mahdah, northern Oman. The National Centre of Meteorology (NCM) confirmed cumulonimbus clouds developing in the area, leading to significant rain and reduced visibility.
Today’s forecast from the NCM indicates similar atmospheric instability, with cloud formation eastward and a chance of convective clouds over the mountains by the afternoon. Rainfall may return, particularly in the mountainous zones, while coastal and island areas will see temperatures rise to between 35°C and 40°C.
The lowest recorded temperature today was 17.7°C in Barakah 2, Al Dhafra Region, at 05:45 AM.
Weekend rains
Unsettled weather over the weekend came as no surprise, following NCM's earlier warning about convective cloud activity between 1pm and 7pm on Sunday.
Videos shared by Storm Centre showed rain pouring in Al Madam, turning roads slick and visibility low. Meanwhile, Mahdah in northern Oman – south of Hatta – faced heavy rainfall from cumulonimbus clouds, a weather pattern confirmed by Sharjah Planetarium.
الإمارات : الان بداية هطول أمطار الخير على المدام في المنطقة الوسطى للشارقة #مركز_العاصفة
— مركز العاصفة (@Storm_centre) May 11, 2025
11_5_2025 pic.twitter.com/FbyB6tfaxG
On Saturday, May 10, parts of the UAE already witnessed scattered showers, signalling the start of this wet spell. The NCM reported fresh winds up to 40 km/h in these regions, causing blowing dust and sand.
الإمارات : الان هطول أمطار الخير على المدام في المنطقة الوسطى للشارقة #مركز_العاصفة
— مركز العاصفة (@Storm_centre) May 11, 2025
11_5_2025 pic.twitter.com/S2EY2e9WCh
Fog and humidity
A fog alert was issued earlier today, valid from 06:15 to 08:30 AM, warning of visibility dropping below 1000 metres in western Abu Dhabi, especially around Sila and areas bordering Saudi Arabia. Humidity is expected to increase again overnight, particularly in coastal areas, leading to further mist or fog formation into Tuesday morning.
Winds will be light to moderate across the country, occasionally freshening during the day with speeds reaching up to 35 km/h. Sea conditions remain slight in the Arabian Gulf and Oman Sea.
Coming weather shifts
While Monday and Tuesday remain relatively calm apart from localised clouds and possible showers, more dramatic changes are forecast by the end of the week. By Thursday, northwesterly winds will replace southeasterlies, bringing dust and blowing sand with gusts reaching 40 km/h. A notable drop in temperature is also predicted, particularly along the western coast.
Friday will see further intensification, with strong northwesterly winds sweeping across the country, reaching up to 50 km/h. This will result in dusty conditions and significantly rough seas – rough to very rough in the Arabian Gulf and moderate to rough in the Oman Sea by evening.
| Date | Weather Summary | Winds (km/h) | Sea Conditions |
| Monday | Humid morning; clouds eastward; possible mountain rainfall in afternoon. | 15 – 25, reaching 35 | Slight in Arabian Gulf and Oman Sea |
| Tuesday | Fair to partly cloudy; some eastern cloud activity by afternoon. | 10 – 25, reaching 35 | Slight in Arabian Gulf and Oman Sea |
| Wednesday | Cloud formation eastward with possible mountain convective clouds in afternoon. | 10 – 25, reaching 35 | Slight in Arabian Gulf and Oman Sea |
| Thursday | Partly cloudy; cloud formation east and south; west coast temperature drop. Dust possible. | 15 – 25, reaching 40 | Slight to moderate in Arabian Gulf, slight in Oman Sea |
| Friday | Dusty, partly cloudy; significant temperature drop. Strong northwesterly winds. | 15 – 30, reaching 50 | Rough to very rough in Arabian Gulf; moderate to rough in Oman Sea |