Watch: Heavy rain, hail batter UAE; residents warned of 'hazardous weather' as Cyclone Tej deepens

Heavy rains hit parts of the UAE on Sunday afternoon, as predicted by the National Centre of Meteorology.

The authority has issued orange and yellow alerts in parts of Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah as the downpour increases. The alert is in place until 8pm tonight.

The NCM had earlier said that the UAE would see the effects of Cyclone Tej, a tropical storm that is brewing in the Arabian Sea. Although it is currently a category 2 cyclone, experts expect it to deepen into a category 3 one within the next 24 hours.

The authority posted videos of cars driving through the heavy downpour in mountainous regions.

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A video shared by social media handle Storm Centre shows massive flooding in an area south of Shawka, which is a town near the Oman border. The roads have turned into rivers of brown, as massive streams of run-off water create waterfalls.

Visibility seems to have reduced, as large hailstones pour down, striking cars and buildings.

Cars have their lowlights on, as fog and heavy rains blend together to make driving conditions difficult.

The video below shows huge hailstones pelting a car, creating a carpet of ice on the ground.

Other videos show residents marvelling at the unstable weather, out with umbrellas. However, it should be noted that those who put themselves or others in danger during unstable weather conditions in the UAE could be fined according to the law.

Penalties for 'storm chasing'

Earlier this year, the Ministry of Interior announced new rules that prohibit people from gathering near or enter flooded valleys or dams during rains and foul weather. Doing so now comes with fines of up to Dh2,000, 23 black points and confiscation of the vehicle for two months.

• 2-day holiday declared for public, private sectors in Oman's Dhofar region due to Cyclone Tej