More heavy rain to lash the UAE as country records a wet start to 2023

Residents in the United Arab Emirates can expect another few days of wet weather, after a day of heavy rainfall battered parts of the country on Wednesday, with the downpours continuing overnight.

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The National Centre of Meteorology said more rain can be expected on Thursday and Friday, with the body also warning of rough sea conditions.

On Wednesday, downpours led to warnings from forecasters and security forces across the country, as standing water reduced traffic to a crawl and skies turned black.

It comes after a usual spell of wet and cool weather in January, with days of heavy rainfall recorded across the country so far in 2023.

Residents took to Twitter as rainfall lashed across parts of the country, with many rejoicing the wet weather.

“Under the rain – mashallah!,” said one.

“WOW. A lot of rain in the UAE,” said another.

The wet weather forced some of the UAE’s biggest family-friendly attractions to temporarily close its doors, including Dubai’s Global Village, which cited “adverse weather conditions”.

Some schools also have made the decision to shut, with the UAE’s Ministry of Education saying government-run schools could initiate remote working if they wished.

In Ras al-Khaimah, authorities also announced that students in government schools would switch to e-learning during the wet weather.

Disruption on the roads is expected to continue on Thursday, with drivers urged to be cautious around flood-hit roads.

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