The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is facing extreme weather conditions, including strong winds lashing at a speed of 74kmph. The strong winds that hit Abu Dhabi’s Al Dhafra, Al Ghuwaifat, Mussafaha, had triggered speculations that it was a cyclone.
According to the National Centre of Meteorology (NCM), though the wind speed reached 74kmph, these conditions are not a cyclone, pushing back against viral claims circulating on social media. “Calling this a cyclone is scientifically incorrect — completely wrong,” NCM weather expert Dr Ahmad Habib was quoted by Khaleej Times, which added that the current weather conditions were a low-pressure system and normal at this time of the year.
He added that cyclones require very specific atmospheric conditions and large-scale, consistent wind circulation — unlike the UAE’s current situation.
⛈🇦🇪 Second day of torrential rain and thunderstorms in the UAE.
— Vitamvivere (@Vitamvivere) March 24, 2026
Streets in Abu Dhabi are heavily flooded, with drivers navigating waterlogged roads amid lightning and heavy downpours.
Unstable weather is expected to continue, with more rain, thunder, and possible hail forecast… pic.twitter.com/2MC9aOddfB
He added that the current weather pattern involved multiple waves of rain spread across several days, unlike last year's intense system — which dumped massive rainfall within 24 hours over limited areas. “This time, rainfall is distributed over two to four days, with breaks in between,” he said. “This allows drainage systems to cope better and reduces flood risk.”
What to expect?
The UAE is forecast to receive another round of showers between Thursday and Friday. The NCM also predicted another weather system to hit the country mid-next week, which will see heavy rains. The country is reportedly under the influence of a surface and upper-air low-pressure system that will bring cloudy to cloudy conditions accompanied by convective clouds and rainfall of varying intensity over scattered areas.
Flights hit
Several UAE-based airlines have issued travel advisories amid unstable weather. Airlines, including Emirates, Flydubai, Air Arabia and Etihad Airways, along with airport authorities, have issued advisories warning passengers to check flight updates before heading to the airport.
