The United Arab Emirates is experiencing the final phase of a powerful unstable weather system, bringing heavy rain, thunderstorms, and strong winds across multiple regions on Friday.
Authorities have warned residents to remain cautious as flooding, reduced visibility, and rough sea conditions continue to impact daily life.
According to the National Centre of Meteorology (NCM), a deep low-pressure system moving in from the west continues to drive the current weather conditions.
The final band of rain began affecting western areas on Thursday evening before moving overnight towards Al Dhafra and Abu Dhabi.
By Friday, the system is expected to extend to the northern emirates, Al Ain, and eastern regions, bringing intermittent rainfall, thunder, and lightning.
Strong winds, reduced visibility
The weather system is accompanied by moderate to fresh winds, with speeds ranging between 15–30kph and gusts reaching up to 60kph in exposed areas.
These winds are causing blowing dust and significantly reduced horizontal visibility in several locations, raising safety concerns for motorists and residents.
Sea conditions in both the Arabian Gulf and the Sea of Oman remain rough due to the unstable weather.
Heavy rainfall recorded across emirates
On Thursday, heavy rain was recorded across Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Ras Al Khaimah, and Fujairah, along with thunderstorms and a noticeable drop in temperatures.
Weather stations reported significant rainfall totals, including:
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47.9mm in Al Tawiyeen
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39.7mm in Al Marjan
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33.3mm in Khor Fakkan
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31.6mm in Khatm Al Shakla
Wadis and mountain valleys in eastern regions have seen increased water flow, continuing from cloud activity that began last weekend.
Heavy rainfall has caused wadis to overflow, creating dramatic scenes widely shared on social media. In Al Ain, videos showed rapidly rising water levels as intense downpours hit the city. Flowing wadis highlighted the scale of the ongoing weather impact.
Friday outlook: More rain and cooler temperatures
Friday is expected to remain partly cloudy to cloudy, with convective clouds bringing rainfall of varying intensity across most areas. Temperatures are set to drop further, while strong winds may continue to create dusty conditions and reduced visibility in some regions.
Conditions are expected to gradually improve by Friday evening as cloud cover begins to decrease. Further improvement is forecast from Saturday, with north-westerly winds prevailing and temperatures continuing to decline slightly.
By Sunday and Monday, the weather is expected to stabilise, bringing generally fair conditions and calmer seas. However, fresh winds may still cause blowing dust in some areas over the weekend.
Authorities issue safety warnings
Authorities across the UAE remain on high alert, with emergency and field teams deployed to monitor water accumulation, manage traffic, and respond to incidents.
The Ministry of Interior has warned residents against unsafe behaviour during rainfall, stressing that it can put lives and property at risk.
Residents are advised to avoid flood-prone areas and wadi channels, drive carefully in low visibility, and stay updated through official weather alerts as the country transitions out of the unstable conditions.
