The torrential rain and thunderstorms that brought school closures and travel chaos to United Arab Emirates and Oman will expand into Pakistan, Afghanistan and India through the weekend.

The weather will improve across the southeastern Arabian Peninsula on Friday with nothing more than an isolated shower or thunderstorm. Dry weather will follow on Saturday and Sunday.

Rainfall will increase across Pakistan and Afghanistan from Friday into the weekend. During this time, widespread rainfall is expected with the heaviest rain falling in southern and eastern Afghanistan and northern and western Pakistan. Flash flooding and mudslides are a concern across the region. Rainfall will average 25-75 mm (1-3 inches) with local amounts up to 125 mm (5 inches) through Sunday.

Residents are urged never to drive through flooded roadways. It may be impossible to know how deep the water is or if the road is washed away.

Isolated storms may also develop around Karachi on a few occasions this week, though this rain will be isolated with heavier rainfall remaining north and west of the city.

While the threat for rainfall will diminish in southern Pakistan and southwestern Afghanistan on Sunday, another storm approaching from the west will continue the threat for downpours and flooding in northern parts of the both countries into next week.

Downpours will spread into northern India late this week with the greatest threat for flooding across Punjab as well as Jammu and Kashmir. These areas can get up to 75 mm (3 inches) of rain on Saturday and Sunday.

Scattered showers and thunderstorms will be found farther south from Rajasthan to northern Odisha and West Bengal; however, the threat for flooding will be minimal in these areas with generally 12 mm (0.50 of an inch) or less of rainfall from this weekend into early next week.

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Detailed forecast for Muscat

UAE Weather Center

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This storm system has already brought significant impacts to the southeastern Arabian Peninsula. Thunderstorms erupted Wednesday causing travel chaos in U.A.E. and northern Oman. The Gulf News reported that flights out of Abu Dhabi International Airport were suspended for a time during the worst of the storms. The Abu Dhabi Air Expo was also disrupted for the second day of the event.

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Heavy rain and thunderstorms also lashed Oman on Wednesday causing flooding and closing schools.

The Royal Oman Police have reported at least 40 distress calls from flooding along with numerous flooded roadways. At least one person was killed by lightning from the storms on Wednesday.

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According to the Times of Oman, the Ministry of Education has decided to close all schools in Oman on Thursday, except in Al Wusta and Dhofar regions.

Meteorologists Adam Douty and Courtney Spamer contributed content to this story.

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