A fresh bout of rain showers, with a small chance of thunderstorms, are expected to hit Doha this afternoon, followed by a decrease in temperatures over the next few days, forecasters have said.
The weather is the result of a high pressure field moving across the Gulf, which is expected to bring moderate to strong winds to the country, the Qatar Meteorology Department said in a statement.
The MET added that visibility is also being affected by the pressure. Spotting fog this morning, some residents cautioned others to drive with care through the haze:
Divers beware if the fog in Doha and to the north of the country. @dohanews pic.twitter.com/YfOcvMwQRU
— HALAWALA Qatar (@WeAreQatar) January 18, 2014
According to Steff Gaulter, senior meteorologist for Al Jazeera English, the rain will continue on and off today, and should clear by tonight. Speaking to Doha News, she said:
“Behind the rain, the winds will pick up. So tomorrow will be breezy and cool with a top temperature (at) just 18C (64F). And nighttime temperatures will be down at around 13C (55F) again. Brrrr!
Rain woes
In recent months, Qatar has been struggling to cope with heavier than expected rainfall. Last week, 14mm of precipitation was enough to wreak havoc on the roads and temporarily shut down Ezdan Mall, one of Qatar’s newest commercial centers, due to heavy water leakage.
And in November, flooding brought on by rain prompted several shops inside Villaggio Mall to close briefly.
Due to a lack of drainage systems on the roads, the Ministry of Municipality and Urban Planning (Baladiya) has been clearing up the flooding by deploying tanker trucks to pump water from the affected areas.
How are you feeling about the upcoming rain? Thoughts?