Rain on Airport road. Pic: Abdul Basit
Doha: Heavy rains accompanied by thunder and lightning were reported from many parts of Qatar. People were waiting for this pleasant change in weather for a few days now and these rains are expected to bring in winter into Qatar.
More showers accompanied by strong winds are expected to continue for a few days.
Being a Saturday not much traffic bottlenecks are expected on the roads. It looks like a nice day off to welcome the rains with family and friends with some hot Karak and parotta sandwiches.
Those who are working or venturing out keep an eye on MET alerts on their social media channels for regular updates.
According to Qatar Meteorology Department rains are expected to last till December 6.
Met tweeted sometime back that “heavy rain currently in some parts of the country including Doha.”
They warned that “Sea state is rough according to latest observations with wave height reaching 10ft and wind gusts may reach 35kt during thunderstorms” and those who engage in sea activities should be cautious.
Ministry of Interior has also issued some advice to motorists on their social media platform to be careful while driving in the rain.
“Scattered rainfall in different parts of the country. Motorists, please follow necessary safety measures,” MOI tweeted.
“In case, water vapor gathered on the car windscreen, run air conditioner to clear it for more visibility. wish you a safe drive,” another tweet said.
It takes longer to brake on wet roads than on dry roads. Keep a little more than usual space between the vehicles to brake safely. Rainfall creates slick conditions perfect for skids. To avoid skidding, slow down your vehicle which may help in visibility also. These were some of the tips from the ministry for motorists.
Meanwhile certain outdoor events were cancelled or postponed indefinitely due to rain. Qatar Foundation announced in a tweet that it will temporarily suspend its Character Village activities due to heavy rain and thunderstorms.
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— Qatar Foundation (@QF) November 26, 2016
Heavy rains has also bought with it some perennial issues faced year-after-year. There were reports of leakages at Landmark Mall and also water logging in the parking area. See the video below from there shot by one of our photographers.
Leakages reported at Landmark Mall due to heavy rains#QatarRain #?????_??? pic.twitter.com/dswQIBIloE
— The Peninsula (@PeninsulaQatar) November 26, 2016
Leakages reported at Landmark Mall parking due to heavy rains#QatarRain #?????_??? pic.twitter.com/k1GoPLXwPz
— The Peninsula (@PeninsulaQatar) November 26, 2016
