Thunder lingtining seen over tower blocks in Dubai.

Emadeddin Khlalil, Staff Reporter

The National Center of Meteorology (NCM) revealed that it had carried out 299 cloud seeding operations during 2021, compared to 399 in 2020, at a rate of 2-3 hours per operation, covering most of the country’s regions.

On December 30-31, the NCM carried out 11 operations that contributed to increasing the amount of rain that fell on the country in different regions, where the highest amount of rain recorded during New Year's Eve was 99.2 mm in Seih Al Salam, Dubai.

The NCM also reported that separate areas in the country, in the early hours of the first day of the New Year 2022, witnessed medium to heavy rainfall accompanied by lightning and thunder. The Center explained that the country is being affected by unstable weather due to an extension of a surface low pressure from Southwest, accompanied with an upper air low pressure from the west.

Heavy rain began falling on Zirku Island at 1:30 am, medium to heavy rain in separate areas in Dubai, heavy rain on Umm Al Quwain, medium rain on Madam in Sharjah, heavy rain with lightning and thunder on separate areas of Abu Dhabi city and the external roads towards Dubai, and heavy rain on Ras Al Khaimah.

A car wades through a flooded street in Sharjah.

The NCM also indicated that Jebel Jais in Ras Al Khaimah recorded the lowest temperature in the country that reached 7.5ºC on Saturday morning at 07:30 am.

The National Centre of Meteorology also called the public to exercise caution while driving during rain and the lack of horizontal visibility, caused by rain and winds, advising them to stay away from sloping places and surface run-offs.

The Abu Dhabi Police also called on drivers to be careful due to weather fluctuations and to abide by the variable speed shown on signs and electronic road signs.

The NCM also noted that the weather on Sunday would be partly cloudy to cloudy at times, with convective clouds formation associated with rainfall over some areas especially northern and eastern areas. Moderate to fresh southeasterly to southwesterly winds, and strong at times with clouds formation with a speed 20 ‐ 30, reaching 45 km/hr. The blowing winds may raise dust and sand, which could reduce horizontal visibility. The sea will be rough in the Arabian Gulf and in the Oman Sea.

On Monday, the weather is expected to be partly cloudy to cloudy at times, with convective clouds formation associated with rainfall of different intensities over scattered areas. Moderate to fresh southwesterly to northwesterly winds, and strong at times with clouds, with a speed 20 ‐ 30, reaching 45 km/hr. The blowing winds may raise dust and sand, which could reduce horizontal visibility. The sea will be rough in the Arabian Gulf and in the Oman Sea.