While beachgoers in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah enjoyed a hot and sunny weekend, residents in the north-east were subjected to torrential rain at times. Heavy showers and strong dusty winds lashed the eastern coast on Friday and Saturday, according to the National Centre of Meteorology and Seismology. Temperatures also dropped as low as 22°C, a rare figure in the UAE's summer months, in Jebel Jais in Ras Al Khaimah on Friday. In Ajman, heavy rain caused flash floods with residents taking to Twitter to share videos of the storms. The NCMS upgraded its weather warnings from "be aware" to "be prepared" on Sunday and urged residents of the east coast to be on high alert due to more "hazardous weather events predicted". Motorists are advised to stick to driving on main roads and avoid off-roading in case of further flash flooding. It may not seem like it, but such sudden changes in conditions are not unusual in the summer season, according to Dr Ahmed Habib, from National Centre of Meteorology and Seismology (NCMS). “The eastern areas of the UAE are surrounded by mountains, which in turn either restricts or slows down the flow of air from Oman sea and the Arabian Gulf and will eventually result in formation of clouds and rain," he said. “I’m currently in Al Ain, near the border to Oman, witnessing the development of convective clouds and there is currently some rainfall, this will continue until tomorrow."