The UAE is set for more wet weather this week, with thunder and hail in store. Pawan Singh / The National
The UAE is set for more wet weather this week, with thunder and hail in store. Pawan Singh / The National
The UAE is set for more wet weather this week, with thunder and hail in store. Pawan Singh / The National
The UAE is set for more wet weather this week, with thunder and hail in store. Pawan Singh / The National

UAE set for heavy rain, hail, thunder and lightning this week


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A weather alert has been issued as parts of the UAE brace for heavy rain, hail, thunder and lightning this week while more morning mist rolls in and evening temperatures drop.

The National Centre of Meteorology said the stormy conditions were expected to affect eastern and southern regions of the Emirates and could extend inland.

The bureau's online weather map forecasts heavy rainfall in Fujairah and Al Ain on Wednesday and Thursday.

The NCM said approaching low-pressure weather systems will bring what is known as an intertropical convergence zone northward towards the UAE.

This is a system associated with clouds, showers and even storms and is caused by the convergence of the trade winds.

Trade winds move typically from the east and curve towards the equator. Warm, moist air is forced upwards, cools and then can lead to showers that are often intense in Earth's midsection.

Rain in the UAE – in pictures

  • Safety alerts were issued as large parts of the UAE were hit by heavy rain, thunder and lightning overnight and into Monday morning. Antonie Robertson/The National
    Safety alerts were issued as large parts of the UAE were hit by heavy rain, thunder and lightning overnight and into Monday morning. Antonie Robertson/The National
  • Thunder rumbled and lightning streaked across the skies in Abu Dhabi and Dubai in the early hours amid persistent heavy rain. Antonie Robertson/The National
    Thunder rumbled and lightning streaked across the skies in Abu Dhabi and Dubai in the early hours amid persistent heavy rain. Antonie Robertson/The National
  • Authorities sent an alert to mobile phones shortly after 6am to warn of "weather fluctuations" in parts of the UAE. Antonie Robertson/The National
    Authorities sent an alert to mobile phones shortly after 6am to warn of "weather fluctuations" in parts of the UAE. Antonie Robertson/The National
  • Police reduced speed limits to 80kph temporarily on key routes. Antonie Robertson/The National
    Police reduced speed limits to 80kph temporarily on key routes. Antonie Robertson/The National
  • The rain comes down in Dubai. Antonie Robertson/The National
    The rain comes down in Dubai. Antonie Robertson/The National
  • The National Centre of Meteorology has weather warnings in place for much of the country until noon on Tuesday. Antonie Robertson / The National
    The National Centre of Meteorology has weather warnings in place for much of the country until noon on Tuesday. Antonie Robertson / The National
  • It issued its most severe red alert – urging people to be extremely vigilant over hazardous weather – for some areas of Abu Dhabi. Antonie Robertson/The National
    It issued its most severe red alert – urging people to be extremely vigilant over hazardous weather – for some areas of Abu Dhabi. Antonie Robertson/The National
  • Heavy rain began falling early in the morning in The Greens, Dubai. Antonie Robertson/The National
    Heavy rain began falling early in the morning in The Greens, Dubai. Antonie Robertson/The National
  • Building obscured by rain and clouds in The Greens. Antonie Robertson/The National
    Building obscured by rain and clouds in The Greens. Antonie Robertson/The National
  • Cars cautiously manoeuvre through flooded roads in Barsha Heights, Dubai. Antonie Robertson/The National
    Cars cautiously manoeuvre through flooded roads in Barsha Heights, Dubai. Antonie Robertson/The National
  • A man stands in the rain, smiling under an umbrella, in Al Quoz, Dubai. Antonie Robertson/The National
    A man stands in the rain, smiling under an umbrella, in Al Quoz, Dubai. Antonie Robertson/The National
  • A man pedals through the rain on his bicycle, in Barsha Heights. Antonie Robertson/The National
    A man pedals through the rain on his bicycle, in Barsha Heights. Antonie Robertson/The National
  • People gather at the Dubai Internet City metro station, seeking refuge from the rain. Antonie Robertson/The National
    People gather at the Dubai Internet City metro station, seeking refuge from the rain. Antonie Robertson/The National
  • Pedestrians walk with umbrellas unfurled, navigating the rain-soaked streets in Barsha Heights. Antonie Robertson/The National
    Pedestrians walk with umbrellas unfurled, navigating the rain-soaked streets in Barsha Heights. Antonie Robertson/The National
  • Vehicles navigate flooded roads cautiously in Al Quoz, Dubai. Antonie Robertson/The National
    Vehicles navigate flooded roads cautiously in Al Quoz, Dubai. Antonie Robertson/The National
  • Flooded roads near Ibn Battuta Mall created a watery obstacle course, challenging drivers and pedestrians alike. James O'Hara/ The National
    Flooded roads near Ibn Battuta Mall created a watery obstacle course, challenging drivers and pedestrians alike. James O'Hara/ The National
  • Flooding is seen at the Garden cross roads intersection next to Ibn Battuta mall. James O'Hara / The National
    Flooding is seen at the Garden cross roads intersection next to Ibn Battuta mall. James O'Hara / The National
  • Flooding in Al Yasmeen villa community, Ajman. Salam Al Amir/ The National
    Flooding in Al Yasmeen villa community, Ajman. Salam Al Amir/ The National

"Convective clouds will likely develop, accompanied by rainfall of varying intensities,” the NCM said in a statement shared by state news agency Wam.

"These may be associated with occasional lightning, thunder, and small hail, particularly on Wednesday and Thursday.

The weather warning comes after fog blanketed UAE skies on Tuesday morning, hampering visibility on the roads. More mist is expected to drift in on Wednesday.

Despite the unsettled weather, daytime temperatures are set to remain above 40°C in the UAE in the days ahead.

Some respite is expected from a sustained spell of very hot weather, however, with evening temperatures predicted to drop below 30°C in both Abu Dhabi and Dubai this week.

It has proven to be a record-setting year for rising temperatures in the Emirates, with the country experiencing its hottest April and May on record.

Temperatures also hit a sizzling 51.8°C on August 1 – surpassing the previous historic high of 51.4°C for the month from 2017.

Spec%20sheet
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Earth under attack: Cosmic impacts throughout history

4.5 billion years ago: Mars-sized object smashes into the newly-formed Earth, creating debris that coalesces to form the Moon

- 66 million years ago: 10km-wide asteroid crashes into the Gulf of Mexico, wiping out over 70 per cent of living species – including the dinosaurs.

50,000 years ago: 50m-wide iron meteor crashes in Arizona with the violence of 10 megatonne hydrogen bomb, creating the famous 1.2km-wide Barringer Crater

1490: Meteor storm over Shansi Province, north-east China when large stones “fell like rain”, reportedly leading to thousands of deaths.  

1908: 100-metre meteor from the Taurid Complex explodes near the Tunguska river in Siberia with the force of 1,000 Hiroshima-type bombs, devastating 2,000 square kilometres of forest.

1998: Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 breaks apart and crashes into Jupiter in series of impacts that would have annihilated life on Earth.

-2013: 10,000-tonne meteor burns up over the southern Urals region of Russia, releasing a pressure blast and flash that left over 1600 people injured.

Turkish Ladies

Various artists, Sony Music Turkey 

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COMPANY PROFILE

Name: Cofe

Year started: 2018

Based: UAE

Employees: 80-100

Amount raised: $13m

Investors: KISP ventures, Cedar Mundi, Towell Holding International, Takamul Capital, Dividend Gate Capital, Nizar AlNusif Sons Holding, Arab Investment Company and Al Imtiaz Investment Group 

Profile

Company name: Jaib

Started: January 2018

Co-founders: Fouad Jeryes and Sinan Taifour

Based: Jordan

Sector: FinTech

Total transactions: over $800,000 since January, 2018

Investors in Jaib's mother company Alpha Apps: Aramex and 500 Startups

The specs

Engine: 6.2-litre V8

Transmission: ten-speed

Power: 420bhp

Torque: 624Nm

Price: Dh325,125

On sale: Now

Suggested picnic spots

Abu Dhabi
Umm Al Emarat Park
Yas Gateway Park
Delma Park
Al Bateen beach
Saadiyaat beach
The Corniche
Zayed Sports City
 
Dubai
Kite Beach
Zabeel Park
Al Nahda Pond Park
Mushrif Park
Safa Park
Al Mamzar Beach Park
Al Qudrah Lakes 

The specs
Engine: 2.5-litre, turbocharged 5-cylinder

Transmission: seven-speed auto

Power: 400hp

Torque: 500Nm

Price: Dh300,000 (estimate)

On sale: 2022 

Profile of Foodics

Founders: Ahmad AlZaini and Mosab AlOthmani

Based: Riyadh

Sector: Software

Employees: 150

Amount raised: $8m through seed and Series A - Series B raise ongoing

Funders: Raed Advanced Investment Co, Al-Riyadh Al Walid Investment Co, 500 Falcons, SWM Investment, AlShoaibah SPV, Faith Capital, Technology Investments Co, Savour Holding, Future Resources, Derayah Custody Co.

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%3Cp%3E%0DDeveloper%3A%20Ubisoft%20Bordeaux%0D%3Cbr%3EPublisher%3A%20Ubisoft%0D%3Cbr%3EConsoles%3A%20PlayStation%204%26amp%3B5%2C%20PC%20and%20Xbox%20Series%20S%26amp%3BX%0D%3Cbr%3ERating%3A%203.5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The bio

Who inspires you?

I am in awe of the remarkable women in the Arab region, both big and small, pushing boundaries and becoming role models for generations. Emily Nasrallah was a writer, journalist, teacher and women’s rights activist

How do you relax?

Yoga relaxes me and helps me relieve tension, especially now when we’re practically chained to laptops and desks. I enjoy learning more about music and the history of famous music bands and genres.

What is favourite book?

The Perks of Being a Wallflower - I think I've read it more than 7 times

What is your favourite Arabic film?

Hala2 Lawen (Translation: Where Do We Go Now?) by Nadine Labaki

What is favourite English film?

Mamma Mia

Best piece of advice to someone looking for a career at Google?

If you’re interested in a career at Google, deep dive into the different career paths and pinpoint the space you want to join. When you know your space, you’re likely to identify the skills you need to develop.  

 

The full list of 2020 Brit Award nominees (winners in bold):

British group

Coldplay

Foals

Bring me the Horizon

D-Block Europe

Bastille

British Female

Mabel

Freya Ridings

FKA Twigs

Charli xcx

Mahalia​

British male

Harry Styles

Lewis Capaldi

Dave

Michael Kiwanuka

Stormzy​

Best new artist

Aitch

Lewis Capaldi

Dave

Mabel

Sam Fender

Best song

Ed Sheeran and Justin Bieber - I Don’t Care

Mabel - Don’t Call Me Up

Calvin Harrison and Rag’n’Bone Man - Giant

Dave - Location

Mark Ronson feat. Miley Cyrus - Nothing Breaks Like A Heart

AJ Tracey - Ladbroke Grove

Lewis Capaldi - Someone you Loved

Tom Walker - Just You and I

Sam Smith and Normani - Dancing with a Stranger

Stormzy - Vossi Bop

International female

Ariana Grande

Billie Eilish

Camila Cabello

Lana Del Rey

Lizzo

International male

Bruce Springsteen

Burna Boy

Tyler, The Creator

Dermot Kennedy

Post Malone

Best album

Stormzy - Heavy is the Head

Michael Kiwanuka - Kiwanuka

Lewis Capaldi - Divinely Uninspired to a Hellish Extent

Dave - Psychodrama

Harry Styles - Fine Line

Rising star

Celeste

Joy Crookes

beabadoobee

Brolliology: A History of the Umbrella in Life and Literature
By Marion Rankine
Melville House

The President's Cake

Director: Hasan Hadi

Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem 

Rating: 4/5

Pearls on a Branch: Oral Tales
​​​​​​​Najlaa Khoury, Archipelago Books

Timeline

2012-2015

The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East

May 2017

The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts

September 2021

Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act

October 2021

Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence 

December 2024

Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group

May 2025

The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan

July 2025

The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan

August 2025

Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision

October 2025

Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange

November 2025

180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE

COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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Command%20Z
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MATCH INFO

Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Bayern Munich v Real Madrid

When: April 25, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Allianz Arena, Munich
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 1, Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid

Padmaavat

Director: Sanjay Leela Bhansali

Starring: Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone, Shahid Kapoor, Jim Sarbh

3.5/5

Updated: September 03, 2025, 8:10 AM