Flash flooding threat returns to Oman, UAE this week

By Adam Douty, AccuWeather.com Meteorologist

March 20,2016; 8:50PM,EDT

 

 

While high pressure will lead to dry weather across the United Arab Emirates and Oman during the start of the week, a cold front will bring the return of rain by Tuesday. Cities from Dubai to Muscat will be threatened by thunderstorms.
This cold front will bring isolated showers and thunderstorms to central Saudi Arabia on Monday. Storms will move to the south into the UAE and northeastern Oman by Tuesday, then into much of eastern Oman on Wednesday and on Thursday.
While these storms are not expected to pose as great of a flooding threat compared to previous storms between 7 March and 10 March, isolated flash flooding will be possible.

Showers and thunderstorms will first move into the UAE on Tuesday. Isolated downpours will bring 13-25 mm (0.5-1.0 inch) of rain. While heavy downpours will be possible, flooding concerns should be minor.
From Wednesday into Thursday, the threat for thunderstorms will move to the south into much of eastern Oman. Locally heavy thunderstorms will develop from Al Ain to Rustaq which are the same areas that saw flooding rainfall earlier in the month. A few locations could see as much as 25-50 mm (1.0-2.0 inches) of rain.
The greatest threat for thunderstorms in Muscat will extend from Tuesday night, through Wednesday and into Wednesday night. It will not rain this entire time, this will be when rainfall is most likely.

Heavy rainfall triggers mudslides near Fujairah early in March; thunderstorms impacted U.A.E.

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While flooding may not be as severe as earlier in the month, any flash flood can be deadly. Water levels in normally dry rivers could quickly rise, even if it is not raining at your location. Residents are reminded to never drive through a flooding area.
As the cold front responsible for producing these thunderstorms moves out of the region later in the week, dry weather is expected to return by Friday. Dry weather will then likely last through the coming weekend.