UAE weather: chance of rain in south and east at weekend

Temperatures on Friday to peak at 47°C in Al Dhafra

Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi is shrouded on Monday as dusty conditions linger on. Khushnum Bhandari / The National

A road sign cautions over sandy weather in Abu Dhabi. Khushnum Bhandari / The National

A hazy start to the day on the Corniche in Abu Dhabi. Khushnum Bhandari / The National

Louvre Abu Dhabi on an unsettled morning in the capital. Khushnum Bhandari / The National

Abu Dhabi faced more dusty weather on Monday. Khushnum Bhandari / The National

Poor visibility along Sheikh Khalifa Bridge, Abu Dhabi. Khushnum Bhandari / The National

Sand storms reduced visibility in Abu Dhabi, with large buildings barely visible in the thick haze. Khushnum Bhandari / The National

Reduced visibility along the Corniche, Abu Dhabi. Khushnum Bhandari / The National

A sandstorm reduces visibility in the capital. Khushnum Bhandari / The National

Sandstorm affecting visibility in the capital. Khushnum Bhandari / The National

Qasr Al Watan covered in dust, Abu Dhabi. Khushnum Bhandari / The National

Dust storm in Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National

Dust storm in Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National

Reduced visibility during a dust storm in Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National

The south and east of the Emirates could see some rain on Friday and at the weekend.

The National Centre of Meteorology said there was a chance of wet weather over the next four days.

The centre said Friday would be “fair to partly cloudy at times, with a probability of some rainy convective clouds forming eastward by afternoon”.

Winds were expected to be light to moderate and fresh at times, reaching 40 kilometres an hour and blowing dust.

The highest temperature on Friday was expected in Al Dhafra, with a peak of 47°C. Fujairah was set to record the lowest temperatures in the Emirates, peaking at 36°C.

Temperatures are expected to hit 44°C in Abu Dhabi and 42°C in Dubai.

On Saturday, the weather is expected to be “fair to partly cloudy at times, with a chance of some rainy convective clouds forming eastward by afternoon” and similar wind speeds to Friday.

Sunday will be “partly cloudy in general, with a chance of some rainy convective clouds forming eastward and southward by afternoon”, with winds reaching 40 kph, said the centre.

It forecast similar weather on both Monday and Tuesday.

Earlier this week, sandstorms led to the cancellation of 44 flights and 12 diversions.

Abu Dhabi's emergency, crisis and disaster management team held a meeting on Sunday to plan for bad weather that had been expected to affect the emirate this week.

The National Centre of Meteorology said on Monday that rain forecast across the UAE would not be as severe as had been predicted.

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