Abu Dhabi and Dubai were lashed by heavy rain on Saturday morning, with the country braced for more wet weather in the days to come.
The National Centre of Meteorology issued a weather alert as residents woke up to leaden skies and motorists faced challenging conditions on the roads.
Authorities have warned that the UAE is set for unstable weather until at least Friday, March 27.
The weather centre said convective clouds and strong winds were expected over “scattered areas of the country” from 8am until 8pm on Saturday.
Storm Centre – a popular UAE weather tracking platform – shared videos on social media of pools of water collecting on roads under thick clouds.
Weathering the storm
The National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority on Friday said it was closely monitoring developments following talks with the Ministry of Interior and the weather bureau.
The authority said it was taking measures to ensure readiness across all sectors and was prepared to activate business continuity plans where necessary.
Abu Dhabi Police advised drivers to be cautious and to follow variable speed limits posted on electronic road signs.
The emirate typically reduces speed limits to 80kph during bad weather such as thick fog, heavy rain or dust storms.
The weather centre's online map forecasts cloudy conditions and heavy rain in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and the Northern Emirates from Saturday until at least Wednesday.
