Watch: Mini tornado spotted in Al Ain as UAE hit by heavy rain, strong wind

Residents noticed the rare twister sweeping through the emirate after parts of the country experienced unstable weather conditions

Residents of Al Ain were treated to an incredible sight on Wednesday when they noticed what looked like a small tornado swirling above the ground.

The rare footage posted to the Storm Centre's Twitter handle appears to be filmed from inside a car, showing a sand tornado as it funnels upwards into a thick blanket of clouds.

The dramatic sighting is the latest in a series of unstable weather events that were reported this week. Heavy rain and hailstorms struck Sharjah, Al Ain, Ras al Khaimah and Fujairah.

A video shared by the Storm Centre on Tuesday showed two men in Fujairah's Maidaq area gleefully collecting piles of ice in their hands. The men appear to have stopped their car on the side of the road to catch the stones, and can be seen exclaiming with joy as they place the ice on the car dashboard and film the rare weather.

Other videos shared by the National Centre of Meteorology (NCM) show cars splashing through the pouring rain as hailstones scatter and bounce along the road.

The NCM issued code red alerts for parts of the UAE this week, warning residents to be extremely vigilant as hazardous weather events of 'exceptional severity' deluge the country.