Several Gulf countries on Wednesday, May 1, witnessed heavy rainfall accompanied by lightning and thunder due to low pressure developing in the Arabian Gulf, prompting government entities to warn the public to exercise caution.
Saudi Arabia
The authorities in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) closed schools in several regions due to torrential flooding in the desert Gulf region, resulting from heavy rains.
Video shows cars partially submerged in water, attempting to navigate through pools of water in the Qassim region.
On Wednesday, the National Meteorological Centre issued red alerts for Qassim, Riyadh, and Madinah province, warning of heavy rain, strong wind, lack of horizontal visibility, hail, torrential rains, and thunderbolts.
Qatar
Qatar is experiencing heavy rain and rainy weather will continue until Thursday, May 2, as per the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority (Meteorological Department).
The weather pattern is expected to peak on Wednesday evening and continue until Thursday afternoon.
Bahrain
Bahrain is experiencing heavy rainfall on Wednesday and expected to continue until Thursday.
The Bahrain Meteorological Directorate reported unstable weather conditions, including thunder and strong winds reaching 40 knots at times, across the country.
Kuwait
Kuwait is also experiencing light to moderate intensity scattered rain since Sunday evening, April 28, peaking at noon on Wednesday and continuing into the early hours of the night, Al-Jarida reported.
UAE, Oman forecast heavy rain
According to forecasts from the National Centre of Meteorology in United Arab Emirates (UAE), inclement weather is expected to start westwards by Wednesday night, affecting most of the country on Thursday.
Employers are urging employees to work from home, while authorities in Sharjah and Dubai have announced distance learning for schools.
Employers are encouraging remote work, while Sharjah and Dubai authorities have announced distance learning for schools.
Emirates has advised passengers to keep their flight details updated for the most up-to-date information.
Oman
The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) in Oman has issued a warning for heavy rains and hail in the country on Thursday.
The authority urges caution during thunderstorms, advising against crossing valleys, avoiding low-lying areas, and refraining from entering the sea during alert periods.
The Ministry of Education has announced that all governorates, except Al Wusta, will suspend study in government, private, and foreign schools on Thursday, the Oman News Agency (ONA) reported.
