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Watch: Kids play in rain as summer showers bring respite from heat in parts of UAE
UAE's National Centre of Meteorlogy issued orange and yellow alerts, warning residents of rain till 7.30pm in the evening on Wednesday
- PUBLISHED: Wed 15 Jul 2026, 8:27 PM UPDATED: Thu 16 Jul 2026, 11:43 AM
With temperatures across the UAE simmering to sweltering highs, residents were taken by surprise on Wednesday as heavy rains hit certain areas of the country.
The showers came after an earlier warning by the National Centre of Meteorology (NCM), which issued orange and yellow alerts, warning residents of rain till 7.30pm on July 15.
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The daily forecast had revealed that skies would be partly cloudy to cloudy at times, with a chance of some convective clouds formation eastward and southward associated with rainfall.
Residents were alerted to be on the lookout in case of outdoor activities and expect hazardous weather events.
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Videos shared by Storm Centre show children playing on their rooftops in houses in Al Ain, slipping and sliding with the water, as they enjoy their summer vacations.
Other clips show rains hitting the waadi and mountain areas of Jebel Hafeet, Green Mubazzarah, Shu'bat Al Wutah, Shi'ab Al Ashkhar, and Zakher in Al Ain.
One video also showed the severity of the winds that accompanied the shower, as strong gusts hit trees along the Al Ain-Dubai Road near Al Hayer.
Authorities across the country issue safety alerts for motorists during such weather conditions, with the Abu Dhabi police also often reducing speed limits to ensure road safety.
During the early hours of the day, the Met had also issued red and yellow alerts for thick fog and an expected reduction in horizontal visibility.
The mercury hit a high of 49.4°C in Al Ain's Sweihan region on Wednesday at 2.45pm, while temperatures dipped to a low of 25.2°C in Al Heben Mountain earlier in the day.
Why is it raining in summers?
At the start of summer in UAE, experts alerted residents of rains in the later months due to the passing El Niño weather phenomenon.
El Niño is a naturally occurring climate phenomenon that develops when surface waters in the central and eastern Pacific Ocean become warmer than average. Although the process occurs thousands of kilometres away, it can disrupt atmospheric circulation and shift weather systems across the globe, affecting regions far beyond the Pacific basin.
Experts say the phenomenon can produce contrasting impacts depending on geography. In some regions, it is associated with prolonged dry spells and drought, while in others it enhances rainfall and increases the likelihood of storms and unusual weather events.
In the UAE, it is expected to bring along with it high temperatures, increased humidity that may cause rainfall and heatwaves encompassing of dry, hot winds.
The last time the country witnessed such weather conditions was in June 24 and 25 this year, when light to moderate rains that became heavier hit the country.
