Oman and parts of the UAE under cloud cover

Tropical clouds from the Arabian Sea Monsoon, extending from India, have sent waves of tropical clouds and moisture over Oman and parts of UAE, mainly southeast areas. With abundant heat and moisture, thunderstorms have erupted over Hajar mountains on [...]]]>

Al Ain during the storm (Image Source: Storm.ae)

Oman and parts of the UAE under cloud cover

Tropical clouds from the Arabian Sea Monsoon, extending from India, have sent waves of tropical clouds and moisture over Oman and parts of UAE, mainly southeast areas. With abundant heat and moisture, thunderstorms have erupted over Hajar mountains on July 8th, east and southeast of Al-Ain, then moved westward and hit Al-Ain with high winds, hail, and heavy rain. Winds gusted up to 114 Km/hr! Temperature decreased to 29c or less during the storm

The rainy clouds are covering a widespread area of southeast UAE near Oman border. The situation is expected to remain more or less the same until Saturday July 10th.

Rain Radar showing areas of rain over SE UAE

Mukhariz, a town in South Western UAE in the empty quarter recorded 55.2c degrees few days back. According to Gulfnews, “A staggering high maximum temperature was recorded in Mukhariz, near Saudi Arabian border, in the Western region of the country. The NCMS report said it was 55.2 degree Celsius. The area also suffered from dust storm [...]]]>

Mukhariz, a town in South Western UAE in the empty quarter recorded 55.2c degrees few days back. According to Gulfnews, “A staggering high maximum temperature was recorded in Mukhariz, near Saudi Arabian border, in the Western region of the country. The NCMS report said it was 55.2 degree Celsius. The area also suffered from dust storm in the afternoon.”

It seems there will be no respite from this burning summer as the UAE might be getting more extreme heat as we head into middle of July. The period after July 10th might bring near 50c in the open desert (interior areas).

Clouds and moisture coming from the Arabian Sea, extending from India, could cover parts of Oman, especially coastal areas. These clouds could deliver a few showers and thunderstorms, or at least cloudy tropical conditions for a couple of days. Such an occurence is normal for this time of the year as Monsoon reaches its peak intensity [...]]]>

Clouds and moisture coming from the Arabian Sea, extending from India, could cover parts of Oman, especially coastal areas. These clouds could deliver a few showers and thunderstorms, or at least cloudy tropical conditions for a couple of days. Such an occurence is normal for this time of the year as Monsoon reaches its peak intensity over the Arabian Sea and India, resulting in such clouds extending to Eastern parts of the Arabian Peninsula.

Clouds could extend to parts of the UAE especially the Eastern coast where periods of cloudy conditions could prevail, with a very small chance of odd drizzles or showers. However, Hajar mountains (over Oman and the UAE) will also see increased chance of thunderstorm activity.

Rumours of temperatures reaching 60c are not true as the highest recorded temperature in the world is 57c in the Libyan desert.

Extremely hot temperatures have been recorded in the UAE over the last few days. Hot winds coming from the empty quarter desert helped increase the temperature beyond normal averages to very uncomfortable levels. If there [...]]]>

Rumours of temperatures reaching 60c are not true as the highest recorded temperature in the world is 57c in the Libyan desert.

Extremely hot temperatures have been recorded in the UAE over the last few days. Hot winds coming from the empty quarter desert helped increase the temperature beyond normal averages to very uncomfortable levels. If there is one good thing about those desert winds is that humidity levels have decreased, making night-time weather a little bit more bearable.

The interior region of the UAE has seen the highest temperatures in the UAE over the last few days. Sweihan (a town close to Al-Ain) recorded 49.7c. Al-Ain has also been suffering from hot weather with temperatures reaching as high as 48c. Generally, temperatures between 45-49c have been observed in various parts of the UAE including Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Fujairah is recording lower temperatures, but with higher humidity levels, making the weather very sticky and intolerable, too.

Get the latest weather forecasts for the UAE. Stay aware of all upcoming weather changes, and get up-to-date weather updates and alerts.

With this app, you won’t be surprised of a wet morning on your commute to work, college, or others.

Get push notifications for important weather alerts.

Click on the image above or click here to go directly [...]]]>

Get the latest weather forecasts for the UAE. Stay aware of all upcoming weather changes, and get up-to-date weather updates and alerts.

With this app, you won’t be surprised of a wet morning on your commute to work, college, or others.

Get push notifications for important weather alerts.

Click on the image above or click here to go directly to iPhone App store. 

High waves hit UAE East coast due to cyclone Phet impact. Waves as high as 13 feet hit the coast, but generally waves were 4 to 6 foot-high.

Even though cyclone Phet was away from the UAE, high winds from Phet resulted in big waves in the Arabian Sea that radiated to UAE East Coast.

Some roads were [...]]]>

High waves hit UAE East coast due to cyclone Phet impact. Waves as high as 13 feet hit the coast, but generally waves were 4 to 6 foot-high.

Even though cyclone Phet was away from the UAE, high winds from Phet resulted in big waves in the Arabian Sea that radiated to UAE East Coast.

Some roads were closed in UAE East coast such as Kalba coastal road. Waves there reached the roads, stopping traffic. This is similar to what happened during cyclone Gonu.

(Image source: ABDEL-KRIM, GulfNews)

Update: At least 24 people have died in Oman due to Cyclone Phet

Update: Cyclone Phet is leaving Oman now and moving to Pakistan. It will reach Pakistan late Sat/early Sunday as a weak tropical storm/depression and not a cyclone. Parts of SE Iran could get some rain from the storm as well. Phet also caused high waves [...]]]>

Floooded Oman

Update:
At least 24 people have died in Oman due to Cyclone Phet

Update:
Cyclone Phet is leaving Oman now and moving to Pakistan. It will reach Pakistan late Sat/early Sunday as a weak tropical storm/depression and not a cyclone. Parts of SE Iran could get some rain from the storm as well.
Phet also caused high waves along UAE east coast.

Update:
Cyclone Phet made landfall over Oman eastern coast. Now it is over the interior regions of eastern Oman. Highest rainfall so far more than 300mm, with Sur getting around 250mm of rain.

Phet inside Oman

Eye of Cyclone Phet is nearing lanfall at Oman Coast

The eye of Phet makes landfall on Oman eastern coast:

Where? Somwhere between north of Masirah island and Sur city. But clouds extending 200 to 300 Km outside the eye will gurantee storm conditions in all of Oman eastern coast regardless whether the eye hits or not. The eye right now is very close to Masirah island and it must be incredibly stormy there now.
When: the eye of Phet will make landfall during the first 12 hours of Friday. But stormy conditions have already started gaining momentum in most of Oman eastern coasts as storm clouds extend at least 200 Km outside of the eye.

Red coastline is prone to a direct hit from the eye of cyclone Phet

How much rain for Oman?
anywhere from 100 mm to 500mm or much more accumulation of rain over Phet path.

Winds?
The eye will pack winds between 150 Km/hr and possibly closer to 200 Km/hr. Many areas of eastern Oman will experience winds around 100 Km/hr.

Tornadoes as well?
Yes why not, cyclones do produce tornadoes sometimes

Storm surge?
High storm surge and huge waves to batter Oman eastern coast. Large waves (but not as severe) could also reach UAE east coast.

What does the eye pack?
The area surrounding the eye (eye wall) contains the higest winds and the strongest thunderstorms (probably right now on earth) with flooding rain and huge storm surge. Wherever the eye hits, it is a total mess.

At the same time, its cold front will extend to parts of the Arabian Peninsula, bringing the risk of thundershowers to Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, and especially Saudi Arabia [...]]]> An upper-air low is tracking eastward over Iraq and Iran, causing rainshowers and thunderstorms over many areas in the Middeteranian countries, Iraq, and Iran during the next 48 hours.

At the same time, its cold front will extend to parts of the Arabian Peninsula, bringing the risk of thundershowers to Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, and especially Saudi Arabia near the shores of the Arabian Gulf. By Sunday, the weak cold front arrives to the eastern gulf near the UAE, bringing in scattered clouds and a small chance of thundershowers. Before the arrival of the cold front, it will be very hot in the UAE.

Once again on Tuesday and Wednesday, an upper air trough could result in some thunderstorms in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, possibly Kuwait, and the UAE. Afterthat, there is the potential for high winds and cooler air.

An upper low bringing widespread rain to some parts of SW Asia

Winter is really gone I guess, but it didn’t depart before sending more rain & storm clouds. The photo above best explains how mother nature can deliver wild changing weather, and definetely chaging seasons as well. While Spring has started in the UAE, [...]]]>

Rain and storm clouds deprating Dubai, UAE on Mar 2nd, 2010 (from GulfNews.com)

Winter is really gone I guess, but it didn’t depart before sending more rain & storm clouds. The photo above best explains how mother nature can deliver wild changing weather, and definetely chaging seasons as well. While Spring has started in the UAE, the window of rain continues until early April. But with increasing temperature, winter has become shorter in the UAE. Considering that past average high in March is 25c in Dubai, we are now recording average highs of around 30c or more in March over the last few years.

What to expect next: increasing temperature with a small chance of low pressure systems making a comeback during Spring. In 2009, storms and heavy rain affected the UAE between Mar 25 and Apr 10th. I hope history repeats itself.

How do I rate this winter?! It has certainly been one of the warmest winters I have experienced in the UAE. But there were several rain events that saved this winter from being a bad one I guess.

What do you think about this winter?!