The United Arab Emirates is not usually associated with storm events and flooding episodes due to its climate and location. The area generally experiences a desert like climate with limited rainfall of between 140 mm and 200 mm per annum.
The events of April 16 were unusual as a storm event passed across the region. The satellite photos NASA Worldview are incredible as at least three separate thunderstorms unleashed torrential rain and flooding across the region. The slow moving storms provided greater than 1 year worth of rainfall within 1 day.
The images of Dubai before and after the event are truly incredible and the scale of the event is clearly seen. Flooding is clearly seen across desert regions to the south of the city.
Similar scenes are visible across Abu Dhabi.
The eastern parts of the country experienced up to 250 mm and the main international airport recorded at least 116 mm being 1.5 times the average yearly rainfall.
While the rain system has all but cleared, the aftereffects of this will be felt for some time as cleanup efforts are now under way.
Source
- Nasa Worldview Zoom Earth - April 16 2024 (Satellite Image).
- NASA Earth Observatory - April 19 2024.