Middle East braces for more flooding, severe thunderstorms into Sunday
Thunderstorms rolled across parts of the UAE on the night of April 9-10, accompanied by lighting that illuminated the night sky, according to local reports. Footage shared by a resident in Dubai shows the lightning in city sky.
The Middle East is facing another round of dangerous weather with impacts ranging from flooding rainfall to damaging thunderstorms.
Unfortunately, parts of Iran will once again be at risk for flash flooding and mudslides following weeks of deadly flooding and destruction throughout much of the country.
The death toll climbed to 77 in Iran on Wednesday as the worst flooding in 70 years continued, according to Reuters.
In this April 1, 2019, photo, a man watches as floodwaters hit the city of Khorramabad in the western province of Lorestan, Iran. (AP Photo/Erfan Keshvari/ISNA)
More than one-third of the country's roadways have been damaged or destroyed by the flooding.
Oil production in some fields in the southwestern province of Khuzestan has been halted, according to Radio Farda.
After localized downpours dotted parts of Iran late this week, a potent storm is expected to bring a more widespread risk of flooding to Iran into Sunday. Southern and eastern parts of the country will be at greatest risk.
Downpours will first spread into southern Iran on Saturday before drenching all of southern, central and eastern Iran Saturday night into Sunday. Rainfall amounts of 25-50 mm (1-2 inches) are expected with an AccuWeather Local StormMax™ of 125 mm (5 inches).
Heavy rain and a risk for localized flash flooding will also spread into neighboring parts of Turkmenistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan as the weekend progresses.
Farther south and west, there will also be a risk for flash flooding and damaging thunderstorms across the southeastern Arabian Peninsula.
Thunderstorms will target southeast Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Oman and eastern Yemen on Saturday night.
Severe thunderstorms may continue to slam eastern Oman on Sunday with a few downpours stretching back to Yemen.
The weather will briefly improve across the Arabian Peninsula early next week; however, another storm may bring a renewed risk for rain and thunderstorms to areas from Turkey to northwest Iran by midweek.
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