Heavy Rain and Thunder Hit Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah
Hail Blankets Northern Emirates as Storms Lash Capital Cities; Speed Limits Cut and Tornado Risk Looms
- Publish date: Wednesday، 25 March 2026 Reading time: 3 min reads
he United Arab Emirates is bracing for a prolonged period of severe weather as a powerful low-pressure system unleashed heavy rain, thunder, and hail across the country on Wednesday. While the Northern Emirates saw flurries of hail cover the ground, the cities of Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Sharjah were lashed by torrential downpours, prompting immediate safety interventions from authorities.
The National Centre of Meteorology (NCM) issued alerts warning of deteriorating conditions, forecasting rain, thunder, dusty conditions, and strong winds reaching up to 55 km/h. The atmosphere was thick with tension as leaden skies rolled over the skyline, punctuated by rumbles of thunder and flashes of lightning.
A Day of Extreme Variance
The weather patterns displayed a stark contrast across the emirates. In Fujairah, footage shared by the weather tracking platform Storm Centre showed the ground blanketed in hail, a rare sight for the region. Meanwhile, in the urban centers of Abu Dhabi and Dubai, the focus was on managing flash flooding and reduced visibility.
Windy, a global forecasting platform, predicted that Dubai would experience bouts of thunder and lightning between 1 pm and 10 pm, with severe downpours potentially dropping up to 25mm of rain throughout the day. In Abu Dhabi, the heaviest activity was expected later in the evening, with thunder and lightning forecast between 7 pm and 10 pm.
Safety Measures and Traffic Adjustments
Recognizing the hazards posed by the slick roads and reduced visibility, Abu Dhabi Police took swift action on Wednesday morning. Speed limits on a stretch of Sheikh Khalifa International Road were temporarily reduced to 100 km/h. The force urged drivers to exercise extreme caution, adhere to variable speed limits displayed on electronic signboards, and avoid flood-prone areas.
The Ministry of Interior reinforced these warnings, calling on the public to stay away from beaches, the sea, and wadis. "The public should take care when driving, reduce their speed, and avoid flood-prone areas," the ministry stated, highlighting the risks of heavy rain, hail, and lightning in the coming days.
The Peak is Yet to Come
While Wednesday brought significant disruption, meteorologists warn that the worst is yet to arrive. The NCM has indicated that the peak of the unstable weather system is expected on Thursday night into Friday morning. This period could bring even more severe downpours and, alarmingly, a risk of isolated tornadoes.
AccuWeather lead forecaster Jason Nicholls previously noted that the atmospheric "ingredients" for a tornado remain in place, citing a reported tornado along the Saudi Arabian coast near Bahrain earlier in the week. The NCM has not ruled out the possibility of similar phenomena in the UAE, urging residents to remain vigilant.
A Pattern of Intensifying Weather
This week's storms follow a trend of increasingly volatile weather in the region. The current system is part of a broader pattern that has seen the UAE experience more frequent and intense stormy days compared to previous decades, a phenomenon scientists attribute to global warming.
As residents hunker down with sandbags and plastic sheets, the focus remains on safety. With the full impact of the system expected to unfold over the next 48 hours, authorities continue to monitor the situation closely, ready to issue further guidance through the National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority (Ncema) early warning system.