16-07-2025
UAE weather: Police issue warning as high winds and dust hits country
A weather warning was sent out on Wednesday over high winds and dust blanketing parts of the country as police urged drivers to be vigilant on the roads due to poor visibility.
The National Centre of Meteorology said yellow and orange alerts would be in place until 5pm, owing to the unsettled weather conditions.
Police in Abu Dhabi have warned motorists to be cautious on the roads due to the strong winds and high levels of dust clouds.
"Abu Dhabi Police urges drivers to be cautious due to low visibility during high winds and dust. And for your safety and for the safety of others on the road, please do not be distracted by taking any videos or using your phone," read a message from the force on social media platform X.
The warnings came as forecasters predicted parts of the eastern UAE could see some rainfall over the next few days.
The NCM said convective cloud formations on Wednesday may lead to downpours.
It also forecast 'fair to partly cloudy' conditions on Thursday with a 'probability of some convective clouds formation especially eastward by afternoon' that 'may be associated with rainfall'.
It was a similar story for Friday with further chances for rain towards the east.
The centre also forecast winds reaching speeds of up to 40kph, kicking up dust clouds over coastal and internal areas that could cut visibility on the roads. The UAE's weather is being affected by a low-pressure system from the east, it added.
Rain has already been falling in parts of the UAE. Videos posted to Storm Centre, a popular social media channel that tracks the country's weather, showed downpours in the UAE's east such as Khor Fakkan.
While most of the country is experiencing typical scorching summer temperatures – the hottest on Tuesday was a sizzling 49.8°C in at the Saih Al Salam station in Dubai – it is not uncommon for rain to hit the UAE during these months.
Low pressure systems that drift across from India, which is affected by monsoons around this time, help bring rain to the UAE.
This also helps cause the 'khareef' phenomenon in southern Oman where the landscape turns green.
The rains can be sometimes severe. In 2022, floods hit swathes of the UAE's east coast during the summer, with roads closed and homes inundated.
The NCM told The National at the time that it was the wettest July in the UAE since 1978.
Temperatures, meanwhile, in Abu Dhabi and Dubai on Wednesday are expected to reach highs of about 46°C and 44°C, respectively, and hit lows of 33°C and 35°C, according to the NCM.
On Thursday, highs of 46°C and 43°C are expected, along with lows of around 33°C and 34°C.
The UAE endured its hottest April and May on record this year.
