Sunday, Jan 05, 2014
Al Ain: Moderate to heavy rain is expected on Monday night in Dubai and other cities along the country’s western coastline and northern emirates.
The sea will also be rough and forecasters have asked fishermen and joyriders to stay away from the sea. Motorists have been asked to take precautions in rainy areas.
The rain has been brought by a system covering a wide area covering Kuwait, north-eastern Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Qatar. It is likely to affect UAE on Monday. Rain is also expected in the eastern and mountainous region including Fujairah. There are also chance of showers in Al Ain at round midday on Tuesday.
There were reports of light rain from some parts of Dubai and Sharjah on Friday night.
Temperatures are also likely to dip further, particularly at night. “It could be bitterly cold in the mountainous regions,” said a forecaster, advising people to wear warm clothing.
The National Centre of Meteorology and Seismology (NCMS) said the weather would be partly cloudy to cloudy over the next two days with chances of rain in the coastal, eastern, and northern areas.
Winds would be moderate to fresh, especially in the coastal and northern areas.
The Arabian Gulf and Sea of Oman would be stormy and unfit for all types of small vessels. The level of humidity is also expected to rise at night and early in the morning in the inland areas.
People have been feeling the bite of the cold since last month and rain is likely to add to it.
Forecasters said the cold and rainy weather system had been generated by Westerly winds that pass over the region in December and January.
December is normally one of the coldest and rainiest months of the year. This year, he said there has not been sufficient rain so far.
“We still have two months (January and February) of the winter season and hope for the rain,” he added. The month of December was the coldest in 2007 when temperature had dropped down to near freezing levels. However, temperature goes to sub-zero levels only over Jebel Jais.
Salem Ahmad Al Shamsi, an Emirati, said the weather is unbearably cold in the night. “I have not experienced such cold over the last several years,” he said, adding that he had to arrange room heaters for the comfort of his family.
Vanood Shukla, an Indian resident of Al Ain, said the weather is okay though it gets very cold close to midnight.
“We enjoyed outdoor parties and evening walks over the last two weeks,” he said, adding that the party season has ended with the opening of schools.
By Aftab Kazmi Bureau Chief
Gulf News 2014. All rights reserved.
