Parts of the United Arab Emirates experienced heavy rain and hail on Thursday, October 15. Videos appeared online showing cars driving on slippery roads, and people collecting pieces of ice on the highways of Sharjah.
As the autumn season approaches in the UAE, the probability of precipitation has increased, despite persistently high temperatures. Previously, the National Center of Meteorology (NCM) had forecast rain in some areas of the country during this week, issuing yellow warnings for specific zones regarding convective clouds typically associated with precipitation.
The video material shows heavy rains in Al Ain, a region that was not under an NCM warning but is often prone to precipitation. The video also shows hail falling on the road.
It appears that Sharjah experienced a downpour of hail and rain on Thursday; videos published by the Storm Centre weather account demonstrate that entire sections of the desert were covered with an icy blanket.
NCM forecasts for the coming days indicate rain on Friday, mainly in Al Ain, Fujairah, and Ras Al Khaimah. The probability of showers will be lower over the weekend, although the sky will remain cloudy. Rain is expected on Monday in Al Ain, Liwa, Fujairah, and Ras Al Khaimah.