Heavy rain and hail hit Sharjah, Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah as NCM issues flood warnings
Rain and hail across the Emirates
Showers lashed Al Dhaid, Washah and Mleiha in Sharjah on Thursday afternoon, with hailstones covering the ground and vehicles moving through waterlogged roads, as seen in videos shared by Storm Centre and images circulating on social media. Rain also fell in Shawka in Ras Al Khaimah, while showers were reported in Siji and Tawian in Fujairah.
NCM warnings and alerts
The National Center of Meteorology issued a convective cloud alert valid from 12:30 pm to 10 pm on Thursday, October 15. Yellow warnings covered large parts of the eastern region, stretching from Ras Al Khaimah through Fujairah and the Hajar mountain areas, as well as pockets of the southern and western regions of Abu Dhabi. Under a yellow warning, residents were advised to be on the lookout if they went out for outdoor activities. An orange warning was in place over parts of the eastern mountains, indicating that hazardous weather events were expected and residents should comply with advice issued by the authorities.
Convective clouds can develop quickly and bring sudden heavy rain, hail, lightning and strong winds that may stir up dust and reduce visibility. The NCM also issued a flash flood alert from 2 pm to 7 pm over some mountain areas, urging residents to take caution during rainfall and stay away from areas prone to flash flooding such as wadis and valleys.
Safety advice for residents
Authorities urged residents to take precautions while the alerts were in place: drive carefully, reduce speed and keep a safe distance from other vehicles on wet roads; do not drive through flooded roads or valleys, as water levels can rise quickly; stay away from wadis, dams and low‑lying areas during and after rainfall; avoid outdoor activities in mountain areas while flash flood warnings are active; park vehicles in covered or elevated areas if hail is expected; follow updates from the NCM and official sources only, and avoid sharing unverified information.
Forecast and outlook
The wet spell is part of a wider period of unsettled weather, with rain forecast across parts of the country through the weekend and into Monday. Eastern and southern areas are expected to see the most cloud activity, particularly in the afternoons.
