Cars navigate a rain-soaked road in Sharjah. Kamal Kassim / Gulf Today

Mohamed Alaa, Staff Reporter

Abu Dhabi: Light to heavy showers continued lashing various areas in the country most of the day on Friday. The rains were medium to heavy in Abu Dhabi, including Rahba, Shahama, Ghantoot and Alajban road. It was light to medium in Dubai. While, the areas of Dhaid, Shelila, Al Mansoura and the Emirates Road in Sharjah, Falaj Al Mulla in Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah, Ajman and Fujairah witnessed light to heavy showers too.  

The lowest temperature on Friday was monitored in Jebel Jees at 8.2 ºC, according to the National Centre of Meteorology (NCM).

The NCM expects that the weather may remain cloudy for the next couple of days with the opportunity of rainfall on various parts. It is expected to be thunderous rains, especially on Sunday on the northern and eastern parts with a noticeable decrease in temperatures on Monday. The winds will be southeasterly to southwesterly, moderate to active, while will become northwesterly, active to strong, especially on the sea at speed of 25-40 km/h and up to 55 km/h. The sea will be rough to very rough in the Arabian Gulf and rough in the Sea of Oman.   

Most areas of the country and the Arab peninsula are being affected by an extension of low surface accompanied with an upper trough, the NCM said.  

It has warned of the slippage on the highways urging the drivers to exercise caution when driving under rainfall, as well as during low visibility because of raised dust. It further advised to stay away from places of rainwater pools, especially those near heights and runoff valleys. The Centre also called on seafarers not to venture into the sea because of its rough condition in the Arabian Gulf and the Sea of Oman during this period.

According to a staff reporter, a pleasant weather, marked by a steady, intermittent drizzle that tailed an early morning downpour, greeted residents of Sharjah on Friday. Overcast skies and wet roads were the order of the day as the temperature went marginally south. Fresh winds added to the zest of the people who were only to keen to savour the refreshing, enjoyable outdoors rather than remain confined to the four walls of their homes. Traffic was slow, but that did not test the patience of the motorists.

In the afternoon, strong winds had a commanding presence. However, by the evening, the intensity of the winds had lessened to a considerable degree. Clouds like huge wads of cotton dotted the sky but there was no indication of rain. It felt good, for it was not intolerably cold.

This spurred the dwellers of the Emirate to step out of the comfort zone of their homes and savour the lovely environs in the open.

Popular spots such as the Buhairah Corniche and Sharjah beach saw people capitalising on the opportunity that the change in weather gave. Fitness buffs, for whom wellbeing was top priority, briskly walked along the Corniche and other places. Friends were busy chalking out plans for an al fresco rendezvous.

In a land where over 200 nationalities co-exist in total harmony, where it is awfully hot for a major part of the year, the opening of the skies is welcomed by the residents with open arms.

It unshackles the indoors-bound dweller, unravels the unwinding of the office-goer and housewife alike. People hit the outdoors the way a duck takes to water.

For it is evident to the residents that it will not be long before the weather starts making a U-turn and scorching mercury levels and blistering winds become all too common.

It was a far cry from the weather one winter a few years ago. Heavy rain followed by hailstones pummelled the emirates, turning normalcy on its head. The usual suspects were seen in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Dubai and Sharjah: flooded streets, traffic at a snail’s pace, major tailback. The winds were so strong that some trees fell while some dish antennas were uprooted from buildings.

Every time such heavy rain occurs, the authorities face the challenging task of clearing the roads gridlocked in traffic and draining out the waters clogging the roads. And each time they cut the mustard.