Al Ain: Continuous rain, a rare phenomenon in the UAE, has lashed the country since Tuesday evening, inundating low-lying areas and causing traffic chaos in major cities and highways.
Meteorologists said the country is experiencing an intense wet spell but it is expected to start weakening on Thursday night or Friday morning. “We expect more scattered light to moderate showers across the country,” a forecaster told Gulf News.
On Wednesday morning, following overnight heavy rain and thunderstorms, many low-lying areas were inundated. The rain also disrupted normal life, with thin traffic on flooded streets. Traffic signals also were out of order and police officials were seen directing traffic across the country in order to prevent accidents due to low visibility and rain.
Rainwater also hit the sewerage system and officials from the Public Health Sections of local municipalities had to rush to the affected areas to reopen blocked sewerage systems or create alternative drainage arrangements.
People across the country, however, are enjoying the change in weather as it is a rare happening in this part of the world. It, however, turned out to be a misery for motorists. Heavy traffic jams were reported in many parts of the country.
“I was stuck in traffic this morning but really enjoyed the drive in this weather. It’s going to be a while before we get another season of this kind. Enjoy it while it lasts,” said Sujith Menon, a Gulf News reader in Dubai.
Raja Abdul, a Dubai resident, said: “I’m just loving the rain. Wish we all had a day off to enjoy such a pleasant day with family, eating snacks and sipping hot coffee.”
Explaining the current weather system, the National Centre of Meteorology and Seismology (NCMS) said that the wet spell was generated by the mixing of a surface trough, coming in from over the Red Sea. This led to the formation of rain clouds covering almost the entire country. The system further intensified on Wednesday due to the deepening of the upper air trough.
The forecast said rain is also expected on Thursday, especially in the northern and eastern emirates. The amount of cloud will dissipate gradually from Thursday night and Friday morning, with a probability of some rain in the northern and eastern emirates.
Adel Hassan, a meteorologists in Al Ain, said thunderstorms and moderate to heavy rainfall in March is not unusual. Even last year, a thunderstorm had hit the country, flooding streets and low-lying areas in Dubai, Sharjah, Umm Al Quwain, Ajman and Ras Al Khaimah.
It rained continuously on Tuesday night but still the amount of rain cannot be termed as unusual, said Hassan. The winter season, he said, is over and the region is currently passing through a transitional phase. A few thunderstorms are normal weather activity for this month. However, 1995 was the rainiest year in the country,” he added.
A meteorologist at the NCMS said hot and cool days with occasional rain, fog, and windy conditions with a high degree of fluctuation are not unusual in March. “It’s the transitional period between the summer and winter seasons, and is usually characterised with significant change,” he said.
