Heavy rain, thunder and lightning hits parts of UAE

A orange weather alert has been issued in the UAE, as heavy rain, thunder and lightning struck several parts of the country during the early hours of Thursday.

According to the forecast from the National Center of Meteorology (NCM), the wet conditions is expected to persist until 8:00 pm.

#أمطار #المركز_الوطني_للأرصاد#Rain #NCM pic.twitter.com/j2V879ocUw

— المركز الوطني للأرصاد (@ncmuae) May 2, 2024

Authorities have urged drivers to exercise caution of the roads, maintain a safe distance from other vehicles, and only to travel if absolutely necessary.

In updates on their social media, Abu Dhabi Police informed of reduced speed limits on several key roads due to the reduced visibility and urged motorists to regularly check electronic information boards.

#Urgent⁩ | ⁦#Attention ⁩ ⁦#Rain⁩
Speed reduction system activated to 100 Km/h on )Maktoum Bin Rashid road, (Abu Dhabi-Dubai

— شرطة أبوظبي (@ADPoliceHQ) May 2, 2024

Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) also announced the temporary suspension of intercity bus services.

#RTA notifies bus users of the temporary suspension for the Intercity Bus services due to the adverse weather conditions. Stay tuned to our channels for further updates. #YourSafetyOurPtiority pic.twitter.com/3Z00ioc1rt

— RTA (@rta_dubai) May 2, 2024

Earlier, RTA announced that Dubai Metro operating hours was extended in anticipation of the unstable weather. 

According to the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), services will be extended from midnight till 5:00 am (next day) with trains departing from Centrepoint station and only stopping at Emirates, Airport Terminal 1, Airport Terminal 3 and GGICO stations.

Commuters have been advised to ensure their Nol cards have a minimum balance of AED 15 before departing.

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Authorities have also informed of their preparedness to deal with the adverse weather conditions.

Specialised teams from Dubai Municipality have been using large trucks to drain out accumulated water from the streets.

#DubaiMunicipality's specialised teams are working tirelessly to swiftly handle rainwater accumulations and address weather-related reports, prioritising public safety.#DubaiMoreLiveable pic.twitter.com/uH2ESDKZm3

— بلدية دبي | Dubai Municipality (@DMunicipality) May 2, 2024

#Dubai's RTA preparations to deal with weather conditions to ensure the smooth flow of traffic.@rta_dubai pic.twitter.com/Cojbi85cZb

— Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) May 1, 2024

#Dubai Municipality preparations to deal with weather conditions to ensure public safety. @DMunicipality pic.twitter.com/nVB4csihoc

— Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) May 1, 2024

Residents have also been reminded of the official numbers they will need in case of emergencies.

Dubai emergency response teams are fully prepared to address the impact of weather conditions and ensure public safety

Emergency contact numbers

Dubai Police
Emergency only 999

Dubai Police
Non-emergency 901

Civil Defence
997

Dubai Ambulance
998

DEWA
991

Dubai Health… pic.twitter.com/HoyVkvWGPO

— Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) May 1, 2024

ARN News Centre has also reached out to Dubai International Airport and local airlines for updates on delays and cancellations.