Weather warnings issued across Abu Dhabi on Friday may have left some residents wondering why thunderstorms, rain and dusty winds affected parts of the emirate while downtown areas remained largely dry.
According to the National Centre of Meteorology (NCM), the explanation lies in the highly localised nature of the summer weather system. While inland and southern parts of Abu Dhabi experienced rainfall and thunderstorms, areas around the capital, including the Corniche, largely continued to experience humid conditions, haze and dusty skies.
Why Rain Was Limited to Certain Areas
Maryam Al Shehhi, head of marine meteorology at the NCM, said the weather system affecting Abu Dhabi was concentrated mainly over inland and southern areas rather than the city itself.
During summer, low-pressure systems generally develop from the east and southeast. Areas around Al Ain and the Hajar Mountains can experience the development of convective clouds when intense surface heat combines with high humidity and cooler air in the upper atmosphere.
These conditions create atmospheric instability, allowing clouds to develop rapidly and produce rainfall, thunderstorms and strong winds.
However, the resulting weather can remain extremely localised. This means that one area can experience heavy rain while another location only a short distance away sees little or no rainfall.
Why Rain Can Bring Sudden Dust
The same atmospheric process can also explain the sudden dusty conditions that accompany some summer showers.
As rain falls from a developing cloud, powerful downdrafts can form. The descending air reaches the surface and spreads outward, lifting dust from the ground and creating sudden dusty or hazy conditions around the storm.
Unlike normal horizontal winds, these air currents initially move vertically as air descends from the cloud before spreading across the surface.
The strongest summer activity is generally concentrated inland, particularly around Al Ain and the Hajar Mountains. Within Abu Dhabi emirate, areas such as Mohamed bin Zayed City, Shakhbout City, Al Shamkha and Al Shawamekh can also be affected when the weather system moves far enough west.
The Al Dhafra region, including areas around Liwa, may also receive summer rainfall as weather systems move from the south.
Why Some Areas Receive Rain Later
The timing of summer rainfall also varies across the UAE.
Eastern mountainous areas can experience convective activity earlier because elevated terrain heats up rapidly, encouraging air to rise and clouds to form.
In Al Ain and Abu Dhabi's inland areas, the process can take longer because the ground needs additional time to heat sufficiently to trigger the rising air required for convection.
On Friday, some areas received rain at around 6.30pm after the land had warmed enough to support the development of convective clouds.
More Rain Forecast in the Coming Days
The unsettled summer weather pattern is expected to continue across parts of the UAE.
On Saturday, August 22, conditions are forecast to be fair to partly cloudy, with the possibility of convective clouds developing over eastern, southern and western areas during the afternoon, potentially bringing rainfall.
Winds are expected to be light to moderate from the southeast to northeast but could become fresh to strong at times, with speeds reaching up to 50km/h and causing blowing dust and sand.
The possibility of afternoon rainfall will continue on Sunday, particularly over eastern areas, while winds could reach 40km/h.
On Monday, convective clouds may develop over eastern areas. Rain-producing clouds could return to eastern and southern parts of the country on Tuesday, when winds may again reach 40km/h.
By Wednesday, eastern and southern areas could see further afternoon convective activity and rainfall, with winds potentially reaching 45km/h and causing blowing dust and sand.
The sea is expected to remain slight in both the Arabian Gulf and the Oman Sea throughout the forecast period.
Some coastal areas could also experience increased humidity and a chance of fog or mist on Saturday morning.
Why Summer Rain Does Not Make the Desert Green
Despite the frequency of summer showers in some parts of the UAE, the rainfall is generally too brief and localised to produce sustained vegetation growth across the desert.
Al Shehhi explained that greenery requires lighter rainfall that continues over a longer period, allowing moisture to remain in the ground. A sudden, intense summer shower does not provide the same sustained watering effect.
Some Areas Have Seen Rain Almost Daily
The recent rainfall is not an isolated event. According to Al Shehhi, some inland and eastern parts of the UAE have experienced rainfall almost daily since mid-July.
These areas include Al Ain and locations towards the east and north, such as Al Shawieb, Al Hayer, Al Madam, Al Dhaid, Falaj Al Mualla and parts of Al Dhafra.
However, because the showers are highly localised, residents in Abu Dhabi city may see little evidence of the rainfall even while thunderstorms are occurring elsewhere in the emirate.
Rain May Bring Temporary Relief From Humidity
Residents may experience a brief reduction in humidity following rainfall.
Before a summer shower, the combination of high temperatures and humidity can make the air feel particularly heavy and uncomfortable. Once rain falls, the atmosphere can temporarily become slightly drier.
The relief, however, is unlikely to last for long, with temperatures expected to rise again as August progresses.
Saturday's maximum temperatures are forecast to range between 38°C and 43°C along the coast and islands, 44°C and 48°C in internal areas, and 33°C and 37°C in the mountains.
Temperatures Expected to Stay Below 50°C
While the UAE will continue to experience intense summer heat, residents are not expected to see temperatures return to the 50°C mark for the remainder of the summer.
Temperatures could rise to around 48°C to 49°C after the current dip before fluctuating again. By the end of August, temperatures could settle around 46°C to 47°C, with September expected to remain at similar levels before a more noticeable decline in October.
Temperatures are forecast to fall towards 41°C to 43°C in October, while November is expected to bring another significant decline, with temperatures reaching around 39°C.
The UAE's extreme 50°C temperatures also arrived later than usual this year. According to the NCM, temperatures typically reach the 50°C mark around the end of May, whereas May, June and July passed without reaching that level this year, with the milestone eventually recorded in August.
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