The key facts
- Hail and heavy rain struck Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah on Tuesday afternoon
- A warning of winds up to 45 km/h and dust is in effect until at least 9 pm
- Daytime temperatures will remain 35–40°C despite the unsettled weather
Hail and heavy rain hit the northern emirates
On Tuesday afternoon, October 27, parts of the UAE were hit by hail and heavy rain. The popular weather-tracking platform Storm Centre published videos of hail and precipitation in Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah. Authorities urged residents to stay alert: according to the National Center of Meteorology, strong winds over some northern, eastern and southern areas may reach 45 km/h, kicking up dust and reducing visibility. The warning is in effect until at least 9 pm, The National reports.
What drivers are advised and what lies ahead
Abu Dhabi Police, in a social media post, urged drivers to exercise caution during the rain and follow the variable speed limits displayed on road signs during poor weather. The weather centre's online map shows that heavy rain in Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah and Al Ain is forecast until Thursday. This continues a series of unsettled weather conditions, especially in the northern emirates: a few days earlier, the centre had warned of rain, fog and winds of up to 50 km/h.
The heat is still holding on
Despite the autumn weather disturbances, the heat in the emirates will persist: over the next five days, daytime temperatures in Abu Dhabi and Dubai will remain in the mid-to-high 30s, while in Al Ain and remote desert areas of Abu Dhabi they may reach 40°C. For comparison, the average October daytime temperature in the UAE is 29.7°C, according to the weather centre's latest monthly review. The National Center of Meteorology had previously attributed the prolonged warmth to the influence of the El Niño phenomenon, which delays the usually cooler autumn weather.
