The authorities in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have issued weather warnings due to heavy rains that have been falling for several days in this hot and dry climate.
Gulf countries usually experience mild winters, with the exception of rare and brief periods of heavy rain between November and January.
Here are the warnings issued by the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council:
United Arab Emirates
In the United Arab Emirates, heavy rain fell across the country, especially in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. The Emirates News Agency, (WAM), reported that the bad weather was expected to continue until Thursday, January 6.
The rain was increased by cloud seeding, a technique used by the authorities to increase the amount of rain that is usually scanty and scarce.
In Sharjah, pedestrians and cars were stuck in water and mud, and the authorities did not report any casualties
“It will be partly cloudy to cloudy at times accompanied with convective clouds associated with rainfall of different intensities over scattered areas. Motorists are advised to drive carefully as the roads will be slippery due to the rain,” the National Centre of Meteorology (NCM) said on Monday.
The maximum temperature in the country is expected to be between 26 and 29 °C. And, the lowest will be between 14 and 18 °C. The highest temperature recorded over the country on Sunday was 29.7 °C in Al Ruwais (Al Dhafra) at 2:45pm UAE local time.
Be careful if you are sailing as the sea will be rough in the Arabian Gulf and in Oman sea.
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia is also witnessing heavy rains, including in the city of Makkah.
The Tabuk region in Saudi Arabia witnessed heavy rain and snowfall on Saturday morning.
People took to social media to share pictures and videos of snowfall on social media. The visuals posted on the social networking sites show Jabal al-Lawz, which was completely covered in snow.
The Kingdom’s civil defence urged the public to be vigilant on Monday after the meteorology centre forecast heavy rain and thunderstorms in several regions of the Kingdom, starting on Tuesday and lasting until Thursday.
Kuwait
Authorities in Kuwait on Sunday announced that floods were caused by heavy rains, which led to the swept away of cars and the flooding of a number of houses, amid security and civil alerts, the Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) reported.
Kuwaiti Ministry of Education, announced the suspension of classes and exams in all public and private schools “due to the weather and weather conditions that the country is going through.”
Kuwaiti Ministry of Interior announced the temporary closure of some main and secondary roads due to the wave of rain that the country is witnessing, and the resulting accumulation of water in some areas.
Kuwait received 34mm of rain by 10 am on Sunday.
Meanwhile, Kuwait’s Fire Forces said its teams responded to 103 calls for help and rescued 106 people who were stranded on flooded roads and in houses following the overnight downpour.
Kuwaiti citizens and residents were told to stay indoors amid stormy weather on Sunday as the army’s fire department helped to clear flooded roads and other areas.
Qatar
The authorities in Qatar called on residents to exercise caution and announced that they expect thunderstorms and strong winds in several areas, starting from Sunday.
A video circulating on social media showing heavy rain on the outskirts of Al Khor city has gone viral.
Qatar Meteorology Department on Saturday said this month will bring rain along with frequent fog especially in the first half of January 2022.
Oman
Floods in Oman, caused by torrential rains that began on New Year’s Eve, have killed six people and left several towns completely cut off.
Captain Munir bin Mohammad Al Sinan from the Public Relations Department of the Royal Oman Police said during an interview with Oman Television that at least six people have died due to the heavy rains caused by the depression in the Gulf of Oman.
Oman TV showed cars floating in the streets amidst the raging torrents of flooded valleys, while their owners desperately tried to tow them.
The meteorological office said on Saturday, moderate to heavy rains would continue until January 5 and warned the public to avoid wadis and low-lying areas.
Bahrain
Bahrain on Sunday woke up with many residential areas inaccessible following heavy overnight rains for several hours on Saturday night and early Sunday morning.
Bahrain Ministry of Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban planning workers pumped out water from the waterlogged areas, while some residents removed water from their own houses and premises.
The unsettled weather pattern is expected to remain in place in the coming days, there are more chances for severe weather, strong surface winds, and heavy winds, according to the Bahrain Meteorological Directorate.
Motorists have been urged to remain cautious, as well as fishermen against rough sea conditions.
Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa has directed the Royal Humanitarian Foundation (RFH) to assist families who were affected by heavy rain in the country.
