Starting Sept 3, Dubai, eastern and southern UAE face heavy rain, thunderstorms, hailstorms. Traffic is disrupted, with orange/yellow alerts from meteorologists—unusual weather impacting daily life.
For those used to Dubai’s year-round sunshine and arid heat, the past week has been nothing short of a shock. Since September 3, parts of Dubai, along with the eastern and southern regions of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), have been battered by an unusual bout of heavy rainfall, intense thunderstorms, and even rare hailstorms. This extreme weather has thrown daily commutes into chaos, prompted urgent alerts from the country’s meteorological agency, and sparked a flurry of conversations on social media—where residents are sharing photos of flooded streets and lightning lighting up the desert sky. Let’s break down what’s happening, why it matters, and how locals are navigating the chaos.
Unprecedented Weather: Rain, Thunder, and Hail in the Desert
The UAE is no stranger to occasional rain, but the intensity and duration of the storms since September 3 have caught many off guard. The National Centre of Meteorology (NCM), the UAE’s official weather authority, has been at the forefront of updating the public, issuing orange and yellow weather alerts across affected areas. Orange alerts signal “significant weather conditions” that could pose risks to life and property, while yellow alerts warn of “potentially hazardous” weather that may disrupt daily activities—both are rare for this time of year in the region.
Residents in Dubai’s Marina, Downtown, and Jumeirah neighborhoods reported seeing sheets of rain pour down for hours on September 3 and 4, with some areas recording more rainfall in a single day than they typically see in an entire month. Even more surprising? Hailstones—some the size of marbles—were spotted in parts of Fujairah (eastern UAE) and Abu Dhabi’s Al Dhafra region (southern UAE). For a country where summer temperatures often soar above 100°F (38°C), seeing ice fall from the sky is a once-in-a-lifetime event for many locals and expats alike.
“I’ve lived in Dubai for 12 years, and I’ve never seen hail here,” said Sarah Miller, an American expat and teacher in Dubai, in a Facebook post that’s since been shared over 500 times. “My kids were screaming with excitement—until we realized our car’s windshield had a crack from it. It’s beautiful but chaotic.”
Traffic Gridlock: Roads Shut Down, Flights Delayed
The biggest impact of the storms has been on transportation—a lifeline for Dubai’s 3.5 million residents, most of whom rely on cars to get around. Heavy rain quickly overwhelmed the city’s drainage systems, leading to widespread flooding on major highways like Sheikh Zayed Road and Emirates Road. Videos shared on Twitter showed cars stranded in knee-deep water, while some drivers abandoned their vehicles after engines stalled.
The Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) took to social media early on September 3 to warn commuters, tweeting: “Avoid non-essential travel. Multiple roads in Dubai are flooded, and our teams are working to clear water and assist stranded motorists.” By mid-morning, at least five major intersections had been shut down temporarily, and traffic delays of up to three hours were reported across the city.
Air travel wasn’t spared either. Dubai International Airport (DXB), one of the busiest airports in the world, announced on September 4 that several inbound and outbound flights had been delayed or diverted due to “adverse weather conditions.” A spokesperson for DXB told local media that the airport’s operations team was working “around the clock” to minimize disruptions, but advised travelers to check their flight status before heading to the airport—a tip that’s now trending on Facebook under #DXBWeatherUpdates.
Meteorologists Explain: Why Is This Happening Now?
To understand why the UAE is seeing such unusual weather, we turned to Dr. Ahmed Al Mansouri, a senior climatologist at the NCM with over 20 years of experience studying Middle Eastern weather patterns. In an exclusive interview, Dr. Al Mansouri explained that the storms are linked to a rare combination of atmospheric conditions.
“We’re seeing a low-pressure system from the Arabian Sea interacting with warm, moist air that’s been pushed into the region by seasonal winds,” he said. “Normally, this time of year—just after the peak of summer—we see hot, dry weather as the region transitions to cooler temperatures. But this year, the low-pressure system is stronger than usual, allowing it to pull in more moisture and trigger heavy rain and thunderstorms.”
Dr. Al Mansouri also noted that while climate change isn’t directly causing this specific storm, it is making extreme weather events more frequent in arid regions like the UAE. “Studies show that warmer oceans are fueling stronger low-pressure systems, which can lead to more intense rainfall even in deserts,” he added. “This is a reminder that no region is immune to the impacts of a changing climate.”
How Locals Are Adapting (and Finding Silver Linings)
Despite the chaos, many UAE residents are taking the unusual weather in stride—with a little help from social media. On Twitter, the hashtag #DubaiRain has been trending since September 3, with thousands of users sharing photos of flooded parks, rain-soaked palm trees, and even kids playing in puddles (a rare sight in the desert). Facebook groups for expats, like “American Expats in Dubai,” have become hubs for sharing tips: from which roads to avoid to how to protect cars from hail damage.
Local businesses are also stepping up. Coffee shops across Dubai offered free hot drinks to stranded motorists on September 3, while grocery stores extended delivery hours to help residents who couldn’t leave their homes. “We know how stressful this weather is for people, especially those with families,” said Maria Gonzalez, manager of a popular café in Dubai’s Jumeirah Beach Residence. “Offering a free latte or tea is our small way of helping the community stay calm.”
As for what’s next? The NCM has predicted that scattered rain and thunderstorms may continue in eastern and southern UAE through September 6, but conditions are expected to improve by the weekend. Until then, officials are urging residents to stay updated via the NCM’s app or social media channels, avoid flooded areas, and never attempt to drive through deep water—a reminder that even in a city known for its luxury and efficiency, nature can still throw a curveball.
For now, though, Dubai’s residents are making the most of the rare respite from the heat. As one Twitter user put it: “Who needs a beach vacation when you can watch rain in the desert? Stay safe, everyone!”