Thunderstorms force UAE flight diversions

Muscat: Heavy rain in United Arab Emirates (UAE) has disrupted air traffic movements forcing airlines to divert flights and issue advisories to passengers.
“Disruption at Dubai International Airport due to severe weather. For updated flight status, please visit our booking website,” Emirates Airline tweeted on its official twitter handle.
Meanwhile, Etihad Airways, the second largest UAE-based airline, uploaded a statement saying that Abu Dhabi is again experiencing unstable weather patterns with intermittent thunderstorms that have caused eight flights to divert to airports within the UAE and GCC.
“The airline is working to ensure that they return to Abu Dhabi as soon as possible. The airline will be monitoring the weather situation in the UAE throughout the day. Any impacted guests will be being informed of itinerary changes and assisted with onward travel,” the noticed said adding that guests can contact the Etihad Airways Contact Centre on +971 (0) 2599 0000 (UAE) for further updates.
Departure statistics at Oman Airports Management Company also reveal that two flights to Dubai has been cancelled even though the reason behind the cancellation is not mentioned.
Meanwhile, UAE reports say that more thunderstorms are forecast for parts of the country this week as unsettled weather is set to continue.
Residents across the UAE woke to scattered showers, with rain likely to continue throughout the day.
Forecasters from the National Centre of Meteorology and Seismology warned that the unstable conditions will continue for the next few days.
The cloud formation will continue to increase over scattered areas, with rainfall over different parts of the country expected, the centre said.
Forecasters expect temperatures to decrease gradually with highs of 33°C and lows of 15°C inland and a range of 18°C to 21°C along the coast.
Heavy rain lashed Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Umm Al Quwain over the weekend.
Winds will continue to get stronger in the coming days, with the Arabian Gulf and Oman Sea expected to remain rough.
Dust storms are expected over some parts of the country. Forecasters advised motorists to drive with caution due to poor visibility.