Watch | Dubai sky turns pitch dark amid massive thunderstorm; flash flood alert issued

Residents across the United Arab Emirates witnessed a dramatic night as flashes of lightning, roaring thunder, and heavy rainfall swept across major cities from Thursday into early Friday morning.

Videos from Dubai showed thick black clouds covering the skyline with continuous thunder rumbling as heavy rain lashed the city.

One resident, sharing a clip on X (formerly Twitter), wrote, “MY VIEW IN DUBAI RIGHT NOW #Dubai. I’ve 1000% never seen anything like this.”

MY VIEW IN DUBAI RIGHT NOW ???? #Dubai

I’ve 1000% never seen anything like this, wtf. pic.twitter.com/5U2xbAq6aE

— MDX (@MDXreal) March 26, 2026

Massive storm system heads towards UAE

According to updates shared by Backpirch Weather on X, ‘a single, explosive supercell’ over Qatar rapidly expanded into a massive wall of thunderstorms across the Persian Gulf.

“This seething mass of hail, heavy rain, and high winds is now on a direct collision course with the UAE and Oman, where the most severe storm conditions from the Middle East system may soon be felt,” it mentioned.

The update warned that cities like Abu Dhabi and Dubai were likely to face the most severe conditions as they will become “drenched urban stormscapes under the cover of a lightning-filled darkness.”

What started out as a single, explosive supercell over Qatar has suddenly congealed into a furious WALL of thunderstorms over the Persian Gulf, just as many models predicted.

This seething mass of hail, heavy rain, and high winds is now on a direct collision course with the UAE… pic.twitter.com/LcAGbzrqOH

— Backpirch Weather (@BackpirchCrew) March 26, 2026

As the storm pushed closer, its intensity became even more visible. Backpirch Weather noted that “extreme lightning clusters” within the system with near-constant cloud-to-ground strikes lighting up the skies.

ALSO READ | Watch | Strait of Hormuz disruption could tip world into recession, says economist Neelkanth Mishra

“Truly some of the most intense electrical activity you’ll see in a thunderstorm. The icy cloud tops of these storms have dropped to a cryogenic -87 C (-125 F), as they burst up tens of thousands of feet through the atmosphere. Abu Dhabi is getting raked now, and Dubai is moments away from entering the strongest wind and rain they’ve experienced thus far,” it added.

Extreme lightning clusters in the storm complex that’s moving onshore in the UAE. Near constant cloud-to-ground strikes. Truly some of the most intense electrical activity you’ll see in a thunderstorm.

The icy cloud tops of these storms have dropped to a cryogenic -87 C (-125… https://t.co/XAjSiTYV9F pic.twitter.com/RkB4Y0qiEA

— Backpirch Weather (@BackpirchCrew) March 26, 2026

Flash flood alert issued

The National Centre of Meteorology issued a flash flood alert shortly after midnight, extending into the early hours of Friday, March 27, Guldf News reported. Authorities have urged residents to remain cautious as heavy rainfall has increased the risk of waterlogging and sudden flooding.

Why is this happening?

An analysis by The Washington Post pointed towards climate change as the cause of such extreme weather events. As global temperatures rise, the atmosphere carries more moisture. This increases the flow of water vapour into the region and results in heavy rainfall.

Dubai, which typically records around 4 inches of rain annually, could receive between 3 to 6 inches by the end of the week.