Unseasonal convective storms swept across Sharjah, Hatta and parts of Al Ain on Monday, pelting some districts with hail and sending torrents of water through normally dry wadis. Video footage shared by motorists showed hailstones accumulating on the Al Watan–Hatta Road and reduced visibility on the E44 mountain passes popular with weekend tourists. The National Centre of Meteorology issued yellow and orange alerts for several eastern and southern regions, warning of winds up to 45 km/h that could whip up dust and sand. Road-safety patrols in Dubai and Sharjah advised drivers of four-wheel-drive vehicles heading to the Hatta enclave or Fujairah beaches to delay departures until conditions stabilise. Dubai International Airport reported no significant delays, but private-jet operators at Al Maktoum International Airport imposed temporary weight restrictions to account for cross-winds. Logistics firms with time-sensitive desert-haul routes diverted trucks via Abu Dhabi’s Sweihan corridor to avoid flooded wadis. Employers with field staff in construction, energy or hospitality have been reminded to activate “summer-to-winter” weather protocols earlier than usual, including mandatory rest breaks when heat and humidity rebound after a storm. Travellers planning road trips to the mountains over the coming National Day long weekend should monitor realtime weather apps and carry extra water and fuel in case of road closures. Meteorologists expect scattered showers until Thursday, after which temperatures will climb back above 40 °C—bringing the familiar risk of overnight fog on coastal highways. The episode serves as a timely refresher that weather-related mobility disruptions can occur even outside the Gulf’s short winter rainy season.
Source: Gulf News
