Temperature set to drop across the UAE

ABU DHABI // Forecasters have warned there will be a significant drop in temperature over the next few days.

The National Centre of Meteorology and Seismology (NCMS) recorded 21.1°C in Al Bateen airport, 22°C in Dubai and 20°C in the Western Region yesterday.

"The temperature will continue to drop tomorrow and we expect it to be dusty in open areas," the duty forecaster said. "It will reduce horizontal visibility in the afternoon from 3 to 5km, will in other areas it will reach 2km."

Wind speed is forecasted to accelerate from 50 to 60km per hour offshore and from 40 to 50km per hour inland today. Tomorrow, it will decrease relatively in the afternoon and in the evening, increase on Tuesday and continue the next day. The sea will be mostly rough.

The winds will create waves of 10-12 feet offshore, 7-9 feet near the coastal areas and 6-8 feet inshore.

This weekend, the NCMS recorded an accumulated rainfall of at least 14.4mm in the Ras Al Khaimah mountains, and there was a trace of rain - less than 0.1mm - in Dubai.

Forecasters said there is a weak chance of rain across the country today, with a slight to moderate rainfall expected tomorrow afternoon.

The rain may result in dangerous driving conditions, as surfaces become slippery and blocked drains result in large puddles.

Rain posed the most danger when it starts falling because that was when the roads became slippery, said Mohammed Hafeez Hayat, a 57-year-old taxi driver from Pakistan who has worked in Dubai for 30 years.

"It is like grease," he said. "People don't know how slippery it is."

During hard rainfall, by contrast, he said the streets felt "clean" and easier to navigate. But he might still slow down depending how bad it was.

On windy days, the key was to keep tight control of the steering, he said. "Drivers feel confusion that the car is moving to the right and to the left."

rruiz@thenational.ae

-With additional reporting by Carol Huang