UAE experiences record high rainfall within 24 hours

Meanwhile, reports of damage from the driving rain continue to flood in, with a bridge in Ras Al Khaimah being shut down after a 50 centimetre crack was found.
A National Centre of Meteorology and Seismology spokesman said on Saturday that it had earlier been predicted the weather system would have finished by Saturday, but it had extended.

“We have what’s remaining of the system on (Saturday) and (today). For that reason there was some rain over Abu Dhabi and the surrounding area (on Saturday) and also in the north area, so we recorded in many places light to moderate rain during the day.”

Rainfall from midnight till about 7pm on Saturday was recorded, with 4.6 millimetres at Abu Dhabi airport, 3.4mm at Al Bateen Airport, 3mm at Al Hatam and 2.8mm in Jebel Mebreh.

“These are the highest. Other places recorded less than that, with between 0.2mm to 1.8mm in many places.”

The rainfall was primarily in the middle and north of the country, though Dubai weather stations did not record any rain, he said. “It was light to moderate rain in most areas, while this situation might continue till (Sunday) also. We might have a break on Monday, but we are not sure.”

He said models were showing there was a chance of light to moderate rain on Tuesday “but we are not sure so far”.

“During the interim period between summer and winter we face a lot of weather coming from the west and affecting us. For that reason (the weather) changes suddenly and rapidly.”

This made predicting the weather during this season particularly difficult.

“This is the major problem in the system between summer and winter.”

The worst of the severe weather which hit the country, closing schools, Global Village and causing the last day of the Dubai Airshow to be canned, hit on Wednesday night and Thursday morning.

Dalma Island, off the coast of Abu Dhabi, which is home to about 10,000 people, was the most severely hit location, with rain causing widespread flooding. The spokesman said 195 millimetres fell in one day — a 10-year-record.

“We didn’t see this amount in the last 10 years in one place and within 24 hours.”