Rain and cloud forecast for World Cup quarter-finals

Showers, with the possibility of thunder, expected in Qatar from Wednesday until Saturday

Richard Chimbiri drove from the UAE to Doha to watch Costa Rica versus Japan. Picture: Richard Chimbiri

Richard Chimbiri and friends soak up the atmosphere after travelling to Doha from the UAE by car. Photo: Richard Chimbiri

The dedicated football fans made a day of it to enjoy the World Cup. Photo: Richard Chimbiri

The National's Richard Chimbiri, front left, and friends, including colleague Kuda Chikwanda, second right, enjoyed a World Cup adventure. Photo: Richard Chimbiri

Quarter-final matches at the Qatar World Cup could be affected by rain and thunder, according to the latest weather reports for this week.

The Qatar Meteorology Department said Doha will experience rainfall from Wednesday until Saturday.

Croatia will face Brazil and the Netherlands play Argentina in the first two quarter-finals on Friday,

On Saturday, England will take on World Cup holders France, with the winners of Tuesday's matches between Morocco and Spain and Portugal and Switzerland meeting in the other quarter-final.

Forecasters in Doha said Qatar would receive rainfall of varying intensity at different times. The weather could also turn thundery.

BBC Weather has forecast Doha to experience highs of 28ºC and lows of 19ºC, with a 34 per cent to 85 per cent chance of rain.

A decrease in temperature is also likely as winds shift to a north-westerly direction on Saturday. Gusts may last until the middle of the week.

A drop in temperature will make the nights and mornings cooler. Maximum temperatures will vary from 19ºC to 26ºC.

Minimum temperatures will be between 15ºC and 24ºC and maybe even lower in the country's south.

No games have been set for Wednesday and Thursday.

The shift in weather coincides with Al Marb'aannyeh, derived from the number 40 in Arabic, signalling the start of the winter period, which is characterised by severe cold and snowfall in some areas.

The season lasts about 40 days, from mid-December until the end of January.