Dubai: The UAE on Wednesday saw one of the highest rainfalls it has had in recent years, with a day’s rain in Al Shuwaib equivalent to more than 50 times the average rain the country gets every March over the past decade.
Hours of heavy thunderstorms and torrential rains on Monday, Tuesday, and especially Wednesday, that saw many parts of the country reeling in floodwaters.
One place in particular, drew the most amount of rainfall: Al Shuwaib, a town in Abu Dhabi to the border of Oman, north of Al Ain.
“On Wednesday, the total amount of rainfall was recorded 287.6 mm at Al Shuwaib, which is highest amount of rainfall ever recorded in 24 hours and is above normal,” a forecaster from the National Centre of Meteorology and Seismology (NCMS) told Gulf News.
If we calculate, the rain collected in Al Shuwaib on Wednesday is 51 times more than the average amount of rainfall the country got in March from 2003 to 2014, figures from NCMS’ Climate Year Report.
Over the course of three days from Monday to Wednesday, Al Shuwaib also recorded a whopping 294.2 mmor 11.58inches — or one foot.
Above is a lightning video taken on March 9 and posted by Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of Dubai Executive Council.
Abu Dhabi as a whole recorded the highest maximum accumulated rainfall during from March 5 to 8. No figures were readily available for Dubai.
Abu Dhabi also recorded the highest maximum windspeed of 130 km/hr recorded at Al Bateen on Wednesday. But the windspeeds in Dubai and other emirates were also a bit high. Dubai was hit with winds at a maximum of 57 km/hr, Fujairah and Ras Ak Khaimah at 50 km/hr, and Sharjah at 46 km/hr.
On Thursday, the wet weather let up in most of the country giving way to clea sunny skies except for Jebel Hafeet and Khatm Al Shakla which had heavy showers at 1.30pm and 4.30pm, respectively. Al Wagan had heavy rain with hail. Moderate rain was reported in Al Jaimy.
The worst is over, however, and residents can again enjoy the outdoors as dry weather is foreseen for the weekend.
Warnings are up still for motorists due to fog formation by evening and early morbing this weekend.
