Dubai was hit by heavy rain, thunder and dust storms on Saturday afternoon with the wet weather set to continue until next week.
Residents reported hearing cracks of thunder while dust blanketed parts of the emirate as wind speeds picked up.
The National Centre of Meteorology recorded heavy rainfall across Dubai, including in Al Barsha, Al Barari, Emirates Road and Al Qudra Road.
The NCM issued a weather alert for parts of Dubai and Al Ain, telling the public that "hazardous weather events are expected".
Further rainfall and high winds were reported in Sharjah later on Saturday afternoon.
The glass window of one shop in Sharjah was shattered by the powerful wind, leaving glass strewn on the floor.
The strong gusts caused damage to a number of other properties in the emirate.
The unsettled conditions came after Al Ain was lashed by heavy rain on Friday. Video showed motorists navigating downpours in the UAE's Garden City.
Abu Dhabi Police temporarily lowered the speed limit on the Dubai to Al Ain Road from 140kph to 120kph and urged motorists to “exercise caution due to the rainy weather”.
The NCM, in its latest five-day bulletin, forecast rainfall on Saturday afternoon, Sunday and Monday in eastern parts of the Emirates.
The country has experienced unsettled weather in recent days, with high temperatures and humidity coupled with spells of fog and rain.
Despite the wet weather, Al Ain recorded the highest temperature in the country on Friday, reaching 49°C.
Temperatures are expected to hover around the mid-40ºC in Abu Dhabi over the next five days, but will be slightly lower in Dubai. For those seeking some respite from the intense sun, Fujairah is the place to be.
Temperatures there are expected to hit 36°C between Saturday to Tuesday, rising to 39°C on Wednesday.
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
Developer: Treyarch, Raven Software
Publisher: Activision
Console: PlayStation 4 & 5, Windows, Xbox One & Series X/S
Rating: 3.5/5
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
