Large scale events and remote working will be decided by each of the emirates… 

UAE residents have been urged to stay home unless absolutely necessary this weekend, as the country prepares for heavy rain and thunderstorms. At a press briefing held by the UAE’s National Emergency, Crisis and Disaster Management Authority (NCEMA), Ministry of Interior and National Centre for Meteorology (NCM), officials issued a string of warnings to ensure the protection and safety of residents.

During the briefing, the NCEMA stressed the importance of staying home and not going out except in cases of extreme necessity, according to posts shared by the government entity on X. Taking preventative measures to reduce impact on properties, and parking cars in safe places high above areas of flowing water are also strongly advised. 

حرصا على سلامة الجميع خلال تأثر الدولة بحالة عدم استقرار جوي قوية اليكم ابرز قرارات الإحاطة الإعلامية.

In order to ensure everyone’s safety during the expected severe weather conditions , here are the main decisions outlined in the media briefing pic.twitter.com/pnLEtWpIQk

— NCEMA UAE (@NCEMAUAE) March 7, 2024

Decisions on remote work, remote learning, and the postponement of events and activities are to be handled by the emergency, crisis and distaster management teams in each emirate.

All roads leading to valleys, mountains and dangerous areas will be closed by officials on Friday, and will only reopen once it is deemed safe to do so. Anyone who risks their own lives or the lives of others will face fines, the authorities have warned.

What’s the forecast?

These precipitation predictions come straight from the offices of the NCM, whose latest bulletin suggests that heavy rain, thunder, and lightning will hit parts on the UAE from Friday, March 8 and continue until Sunday, March 10, when rainfall will gradually decrease by Sunday evening.

The unstable and bad weather across the emirates is nothing new to us this winter. Back in mid-February, employees were instructed to work remotely for two days during heavy rain across the region. The emirates were lashed by dramatic storms and intense downpours for several days during that time.

Heavy rain fell once again earlier this week, which saw our very own What’s On Dubai Awards brought to an abrupt halt during an outdoor ceremony at Dubai Media City Amphitheatre on Monday night.

Images: Unsplash

> Sign up for FREE to get exclusive updates that you are interested in