Abu Dhabi residents woke up to rain on Friday as the emirate’s media office warned them “unstable weather” would persist over the weekend. Rain “of varying intensity” and strong winds, of up to 60kph, that may pick up dust and reduce visibility were due to have begun on Wednesday and will continue through to Sunday. Rain began to fall in Abu Dhabi at 8.30am on Friday, after clouds covered the last bit of morning sun. The spell did not last long but local forecasters said there would be more on the way – as well as associated thunder and lightning at times. Similar conditions are expected along most of the the country’s west coast, including Dubai, Sharjah, Umm Al Quwain and Ajman, where a yellow “Be Aware” warning was issued by the National Centre of Meteorology. The warning asks people to be “on the lookout” whenever outdoors. Forecasters said showers were due along with “fresh winds” that would cause blowing dust and hazy conditions. Forecasters warned motorists to be careful while driving due to the poor visibility. The forecasts come as the UAE experiences extreme differences in temperatures across various areas. The lowest temperature recorded across the country on Thursday was 20.1°C in Jebel Jais in Ras Al Khaimah, while the highest was 45°C in Al Ruwais, two hours west of Abu Dhabi city. Temperatures are expected to hover between 42°C and 26°C along the coast, 44°C and 25°C inland and 30°C to 19°C in the mountains. The sea will be rough in the Arabian Gulf and moderate, becoming rough at times in the Sea of Oman. April was a rainy month in the Emirates, which has also seen higher temperatures on average.
