It’s a wet one out there…

How is everyone doing this morning after that unscheduled “Warning Alert” alarm call? Heart rate returned to baseline yet? Good. The reason behind it was, of course, the heavy rain and flash flooding currently being seen across the UAE.

In conditions like this, the advice is to avoid driving unless completely necessary and either not using delivery services, or not getting angry at the drivers when they’re a little bit late. They’ve likely had to battle through Atlantian topography to get you your panini.

Yes, it is “just rain” – but the infrastructure in Dubai is designed to prioritise protection from other climatic conditions (such as windblown sand). Flooding, however temporary, can make your commute unusually hazardous. Which is why the UAE government has called for remote working days for certain sectors and schools.

And if it’s just rain hammering down outside, count yourself lucky, some parts of the country are getting pelted with golf ball-sized hail stones.

Rowed trips

But if you do have to take a trip out Dubai Police has shared some handy tips on how to drive in the rain.

And to make minor accidents easier to report during the adverse weather – you can now get hold of a ‘Natural Disaster’ certificate through the Dubai Police website.

How long will the rain in Dubai last?

For those wondering how much longer these ‘night in Stoke’ conditions will likely continue, the National Centre of Meteorology (NCM) has some answers for you. The current downpour is expected to ebb by around 6pm GST, but may strike up again with the potential for overnight inundations.

The blame for the storm-born moderate-to-heavy rainfall can be laid at the door of convective fronts, the product of duelling pressure systems, but thankfully – meteorological conditions of this nature tend to move on quickly in this region.

The NCM’s weather bulletin for the week predicts a continuation of wind and cloud cover, with higher humidity at night. It doesn’t mention rain specifically, but as your British friends will tell you, keep that umbrella handy, just in case…

Stay safe out there folks.

Images: Getty