Severe weather hits UAE and Oman: thunderstorms, large hail and severe flooding

Low pressure area passing from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Oman to southeastern Iran produced thunderstorms, fierce winds, large hail and severe flooding on March 9, 2016. The storm system is expected to advance to the north across Afghanistan and Pakistan this week.
The sky over UAE darkened as the storm hit Abu Dhabi, the country's capital, at about 07:30 UTC, blowing down trees and lampposts and causing severe flooding. Videos that emerged shortly after showed cars submerged in water, debris flying through air and damage to buildings.
Widespread #thunderstorms and #flooding in #UAE and #Oman #Sharjah #Dubai #AbuDhabi #desertstorm @barrabest pic.twitter.com/4WbprA7D49
— Met Man Belfast (@Met_Man_Belfast) March 9, 2016
Woah! Hail the size of 1 Dirham fell at 4.30 am near Khalifa Park in #AbuDhabi #UAE pic.twitter.com/nHqqnOK0Cl
— Radio Mirchi UAE (@RadioMirchiUAE) March 9, 2016
Dubai's Remraam complex was among the hardest hit. Management advised residents to turn off electricity to avoid any chance of electric shock, The National reported.
Remraam, Dubai flooded on March 9, 2016. Image credit: David Benson / The National
Hello Dubai? Wassup ? #Dubai #JabelAli #DubaiWeather #UAE pic.twitter.com/mdOzxAnBQV
— Saad Subzwari ⛄ (@saadsubzwari) March 9, 2016
According to the National Center of Seismology and Meteorology, over 240 mm (9.45 inches) of rain was recorded in Dubai while winds of up to 126 km/h (78.3 mph) battered the capital.
Abu Dhabi's international airport and stock exchange were closed, and construction work halted.
Weather situation over the Middle East on March 9, 2016. Image credit: NASA Aqua/MODIS
Schools in Abu Dhabi and Dubai were also closed and will remain closed tomorrow, according to government agencies. Some educational institutions in neighboring Oman will also be shut Thursday.
According to AccuWeather meteorologists, widespread rainfall is expected in Afghanistan and Pakistan starting Thursday with the heaviest rain falling in southern and eastern Afghanistan and northern and western Pakistan.
Flooding targets the #UAE, #Iran, #Oman this week https://t.co/nYZmGvghYU pic.twitter.com/IgufXnhts1
— AccuWeather.com (@breakingweather) March 7, 2016
"Flash flooding and mudslides are a concern across the region," AccuWeather's Eric Leister warns. "Rainfall will average 25-75 mm (1-3 inches) with local amounts up to 125 mm (5 inches) through Sunday, March 13."
"While the threat for rainfall will diminish in southern Pakistan and southwestern Afghanistan on Sunday, another storm approaching from the west will continue the threat for downpours and flooding in northern parts of the both countries into next week," Leister said. "Downpours will spread into northern India late this week with the greatest threat for flooding across Punjab as well as Jammu and Kashmir. These areas can get up to 75 mm (3 inches) of rain on Saturday and Sunday."
Video below shows a compilation of weather imagery captured on March 8 in Oman:
Video courtesy Davisito de Zabedroskyᴴᴰ
Featured image credit: Weather situation over UAE on March 9, 2016. Image credit: NASA Aqua/MODIS
If you value what we do here, create your ad-free account and support our journalism.
Related articles
Your support makes a difference
Dear valued reader,
We hope that our website has been a valuable resource for you.
The reality is that it takes a lot of time, effort, and resources to maintain and grow this website. We rely on the support of readers like you to keep providing high-quality content.
If you have found our website to be helpful, please consider making a contribution to help us continue to bring you the information you need. Your support means the world to us and helps us to keep doing what we love.
Support us by choosing your support level – Silver, Gold or Platinum. Other support options include Patreon pledges and sending us a one-off payment using PayPal.
Thank you for your consideration. Your support is greatly appreciated.
Sincerely,
Teo Blašković
Commenting rules and guidelines
We value the thoughts and opinions of our readers and welcome healthy discussions on our website. In order to maintain a respectful and positive community, we ask that all commenters follow these rules:
We reserve the right to remove any comments that violate these rules. By commenting on our website, you agree to abide by these guidelines. Thank you for helping to create a positive and welcoming environment for all.