A wild, windy and very wet day
Experts predict unsettled weather to last until Sunday
ABU DHABI // Heavy downpours accompanied by strong winds yesterday caused several traffic accidents and disrupted morning commutes around the country.
While the heavy rain left puddles in the roads that caused many vehicles to aquaplane, police in Dubai also fielded almost 1,500 calls from residents needing assistance because of the bad weather.
The unsettled conditions were expected to ease slightly today, according to the National Centre of Meteorology and Seismology, although the forecast was for the return of unstable weather tomorrow.
This is expected to last until at least Sunday, “bringing with it higher winds and the chance of rain”, said the NCMS.
In some areas of Sharjah, poor or nonexistent drainage left access to several schools under water and parents spent a challenging morning wading through muddy approaches to ensure their children got to school.
DUBAI // Wet and windy weather caused numerous accidents and disruption on roads across the country yesterday, with forecasters warning of similar conditions to come this weekend.
Parents in Sharjah had to wade through muddied car parks taking children to school, while puddles on roads resulted in several accidents as drivers aquaplaned or otherwise lost control of their vehicles.
Dubai Police recorded 160 traffic incidents between midnight and 8am yesterday and received 1,423 calls from residents needing assistance in the bad weather.
Early indications suggested that 57 millimetres of rain fell across the country yesterday, according to forecasters at the National Centre of Meteorology and Seismology in Abu Dhabi.
“We expect the unstable weather to ease on Wednesday as much of the cloud heads away from the UAE,” a forecaster said.
“Unstable weather is likely to return tomorrow and stay until at least Sunday, bringing with it a chance of rain in some areas.”
Outdoor retail park Global Village, which closed on Monday, reopened as conditions eased by late afternoon yesterday.
The wet conditions caused at least two accidents on Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road, resulting in severe delays.
One of the accidents happened near Arabian Ranches, Sharjah-bound, with congestion in the other direction caused by rubbernecking. The other accident was near the Al Khail – Al Fay Road interchange towards Abu Dhabi. Delays were also caused by an accident at Umm Suqeim Street, after Miracle Gardens towards the Al Khail Road flyover.
There were reports of tailbacks caused by accidents on the Dubai– Al Ain Road after Nad Al Sheba towards Ras Al Khor and on Emirates Road at the Maliha Road exit, with traffic backed up until Al Dhaid Road in Sharjah.
Heavy traffic was reported on Sheikh Zayed Road from Internet City to Al Barsha 1, in the direction of the World Trade Centre. And an accident just after Garhoud Bridge towards Abu Dhabi added further congestion to rush-hour traffic. Several vehicles were involved in an accident after Mirdif City Centre bridge towards Sharjah, while another accident occurred before the last flyover towards Abu Dhabi.
In the capital, an accident on the Abu Dhabi-Al Ain truck road caused delays, which continued to affect traffic even after being cleared by police.
Col Aref Al Shamsi, acting director of the Command and Control Centre at the General Directorate of Operations at Dubai Police, warned against going into the sea or desert. Lt Col Ahmed Burqibah, deputy director of the Search and Rescue Department at Dubai Police, urged beachgoers to stay out of the water and follow Dubai Municipality and Dubai Police warnings in the event of high waves.