The UAE is braced for two more days of <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/uae/2023/01/26/uae-weather-rain-schools/" target="_blank">wet weather, </a>with fog expected to roll in on Sunday. The country has been hit by <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/climate/environment/2023/01/25/uae-weather-rain-dubai-abu-dhabi/" target="_blank">torrential rain</a>, hail, thunder and lightning this week, prompting some schools to be shut and roads to be sealed off. More downpours are expected on Friday, with a chance of further rainfall on Saturday, forecasters said. Meanwhile, authorities convened this week to discuss emergency measures during the wet weather. The <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/tags/abu-dhabi/" target="_blank">Abu Dhabi</a> Emergencies, Crises and Disasters Management Team was chaired by Fares Al Mazrouei, commander-in-chief of Abu Dhabi Police. The meeting concluded with approved weather response plans, while the need for emergency teams to collaborate during the adverse conditions was emphasised. The National Centre of Meteorology said skies would be overcast on Friday with more rain on the way, particularly in coastal, northern and eastern areas. The <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/uae/2023/01/26/when-winter-storms-trapped-a-land-rover-on-abu-dhabis-seafront/" target="_blank">winter chill</a> will continue to bite, with daytime temperatures set to drop to 18°C in <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/tags/dubai/" target="_blank">Dubai</a> on Friday. The mercury could plunge to as low as 7°C in Al Ain on Friday evening. The weather centre, in its latest five-day bulletin, said there was a prospect of rainfall during the day on Saturday. The NCM said there was a “probability of fog or mist formation” on Sunday and Monday. Dubai Police said the force received more than 15,000 calls to its emergency number from Wednesday into Thursday, many due to accidents on the roads. After roads were affected in the emirate in the heavy rainfall on Wednesday evening, the Roads and Transport Authority posted messages online on Thursday morning detailing closures that would affect residents. The Ministry of Education said government-run schools could initiate e-learning, first introduced during the pandemic, if they wished. Many private schools in Dubai, Sharjah and the Northern Emirates moved online. The country's labour authority, the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation, which regulates private sector companies, said employers must “ensure the safety of their employees”. This would include allowing them to work from home when needed.
