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Chasing rain in 50°C UAE summer: Residents drive 150km to find hail, storms
Rain chasers can spend up to seven hours on the road and travel more than 150km following clouds from one location to another, with no guarantee of finding rain
- PUBLISHED: Sun 9 Aug 2026, 6:00 AM
Thousands of residents headed towards Mleiha on Saturday as they went in search of rain during the UAE summer. What many expected to be a drive to enjoy a few showers turned into a dramatic afternoon of heavy rain, thunder and hail near Mahafiz Junction.
As the storm grew stronger, the sky turned dark and visibility dropped on the roads. Hail hit cars and bounced off the ground, while hundreds of residents gathered at different spots in the area to watch and record the weather.
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Many had not simply happened to be in Mleiha when the storm arrived. They had driven there after following the clouds and weather updates, with families and groups of friends spending hours on the road hoping to catch the rain before it moved away.
According to Sajjad, popularly known as UAE Weatherman, such trips can last five to seven hours and may cover more than 150km as people keep moving from one location to another.
No fixed destination
Unlike a normal road trip, rain chasers often leave home without knowing where they will end up. The destination depends on where the clouds move, and plans can change several times within a few hours.
Sami Shaad, a resident of Dubai, who came along with his family to experience the adventure, said they decided to drive towards Mleiha after seeing the clouds getting darker in the area on the radar app. They knew there was a chance they could arrive too late but decided the trip was worth trying.
“We left completely different weather behind, and by the time we reached Maleiha there was heavy rain, thunder and even hail,” he said. “The children were very excited because they had never experienced anything like this during the UAE summer. When we finally found the storm, the drive was worth it.”
Abdullah Al Ahli, a resident of Khawaneej, came with his friends. He said that the rain-chasing had become a different kind of road trip for them. They usually start driving when they see a good chance of rain and then keep changing their route depending on where the clouds go.
“Sometimes you drive for more than an hour and reach after the rain has already stopped, so there is always some luck involved,” he said. “We are not going to a fixed destination. We are just following the rain.”
Up to seven hours chasing rain
Sajjad, known as the UAE Weatherman, said that he usually goes rain-chasing more than once a week between March and November when there are chances of rain.
But even after spending hours on the road, rain chasers can sometimes return without getting the experience they hoped for.
“Sometimes we reach a place just after the rain has ended,” he said. “Traffic can delay us, and sometimes the clouds move through interior areas where it becomes difficult to follow them.”
"Following the clouds becomes easier when they move in the direction of highways," he said. "This allows us to continue driving towards the storm instead of having their route cut off by areas that are difficult to reach."
A normal rain chase can take around five to seven hours. Sajjad said the total drive may stay within 100km on some days, but on other days it can go beyond 150km as the clouds continue moving.
"On a good day, the reward can come several times. We may experience rain or storms more than three times in one trip if they continue following the clouds after one spell ends."
How do they know where to go?
There is no single app that can tell a rain chaser exactly where the next shower will happen, Sajjad said. He looks at wind direction, pressure, temperature and humidity before deciding which area has a better chance of developing rain clouds.
"Two sea breezes play an important role during summer afternoons. One comes from the Arabian Gulf and the other from the Oman Sea, and both bring moisture inland," he said.
“When these winds meet, they can help clouds form,” said Sajjad. “But we also need low pressure, high temperature and enough humidity for the clouds to become stronger.”
The meeting point can be different every day. On one day, the stronger clouds may be around Mleiha, while on another they may appear towards Sharjah, Masafi or Fujairah.
That means there is no one place where residents can simply go every time they want to find rain. A successful chase may involve several stops, sudden changes in direction and hours of driving before the rain finally appears.
Rain possible near Dubai on Sunday
Sajjad expects another chance of rain on Sunday, this time closer to the outskirts of Dubai. He said clouds could develop around Lisaili, Al Qudra, Margham and nearby areas, depending on how the weather develops during the day.
"However, the exact location can change as the clouds form and move. For rain chasers, that means Sunday could bring another afternoon on the road, watching the sky and following the clouds to wherever the rain develops," said Sajjad.
SM Ayaz Zakir is a Senior Correspondent with a flair for extraordinary stories. His playground? Every corner of the UAE. He often ventures into remote corners of the country to capture compelling news and human interest stories.