Severe weather likely to relent today, says NCM
Remote work for all federal govt employees extended till today; private schools across UAE to continue distance learning; Dubai airport diverts flights.
Heavy rain continued on Tuesday, accompanied by lightning, thunder, and hail, and valleys continued to flow over most areas of the UAE due to the weather condition the country is experiencing nowadays.
The National Centre of Meteorology (NCM) explained that the highest amount of rains recorded since last Monday until Tuesday afternoon was at Khatm Al Shikla in the city of Al Ain in Abu Dhabi, indicating a noticeable drop in temperatures ranging from 5°C to 10°C in most regions of the country.
NCM added that the lowest temperature recorded in the country on Tuesday morning, 11.4°C, was in Jebel Jais in Ras Al Khaimah at 7:15am, while the second lowest temperature was recorded at 13°C in Jebel Mubarrah at 06:00 UAE local time.
NCM reported that the weather condition will gradually end on Wednesday evening, ater it intensified on Tuesday aternoon, and another wave will continue until Wednesday morning in the western regions and various areas, where the amounts of cumulonimbus clouds increase with rains of varying intensity, lightning, thunder, and possibly hail on some areas.
From Wednesday morning, some cumulus clouds will form over the coastal areas, accompanied by rains, then they will concentrate in the eastern and northern regions and clouds will gradually decrease from Wednesday aternoon, NCM indicated.
Wednesday’s weather will be generally partly cloudy and cloudy with rains falling in some northern and eastern regions, and humid at night and on Thursday morning in some inland and coastal regions, NCM added.
The UAE government has decided to extend remote work until Wednesday (April 17), for all federal government employees, with the exception of jobs that require presence at the workplace, taking into account the weather condition that the country is going through.
The Government of Dubai has also extended remote working for employees of all its entities until Wednesday, April 17, due to weather conditions. Private schools in Dubai have also been directed to continue remote learning tomorrow. Private sector entities are urged to adopt remote working tomorrow and take all measures necessary to ensure everyone’s safety.
Sharjah Directorate of Human Resources (DHR) also announced that all employees of Sharjah government departments, bodies, and institutions will continue working remotely until Wednesday, except for essential jobs which require on-site presence.
The Sharjah DHR pointed out that the decision comes in order to prioritise public safety in light of raising the state of alert and readiness to confront the repercussions of the weather condition experienced nowadays, while ensuring the provision of essential services.
Dubai international airport began diverting all incoming flights on Tuesday as heavy rains lashed the city.
The world’s busiest air hub for international passengers, which had been expecting more than 100 flights on Tuesday evening, earlier briefly halted its operations in the chaos caused by the storm.
“Due to the continued exceptional weather event currently being experienced in the UAE, Dubai International is temporarily diverting inbound flights due to arrive this evening... until the inclement situation improves,” a Dubai Airports spokesperson said.
The rain continued through the night until the morning. Residents in the Al Khan area of Sharjah woke up on Tuesday to the sight of overcast skies and flooded roads from their buildings. Dusk seemed to have come early in the aternoon in the emirate as vehicles started using their headlights to negotiate the traffic amid dense cloud cover.
There were also other areas that were inundated, including Qusais, Dubai, and Al Nahda and Clocktower Roundabout in Sharjah.
The downpour instantly brought the mercury down, and cool winds started blowing much to the delight of the inhabitants.