Dubai Airport, airlines issue travel alerts amid heavy rains and thunderstorm

Dubai airports and airlines are cautioning passengers to prepare in advance for potential travel disruptions caused by heavy rains and thunderstorms in the UAE. 

Travelers are urged to anticipate traffic delays and consider using the Dubai Metro as an alternative.

This comes as the country has readied itself for volatile weather, projected to reach its peak on May 2, and persist until May 3, sources reported, adding that safety advisories have been issued across sectors.

Since midnight, heavy rains have been pounding the country, with Dubai experiencing showers and lightning as early as 2:35 am, according to alerts issued by the National Centre of Meteorology (NCM).

Indian airlines like IndiGo, SpiceJet, and Vistara have issued advisories for flights to and from Dubai, Sharjah, and Abu Dhabi due to the expected bad weather, as reported by sources.

While these rains are expected to be less severe than the unprecedented downpour that hit the country last month, the public is urged to take precautions. 

On April 14-15, extreme rainfall battered regions of the Arabian Peninsula, with Dubai experiencing the heaviest rains on record since 1949. 

Dubai-based Emirates airline announced the cancellation of several flights on Thursday due to bad weather across the UAE as movements at Dubai International Airport (DXB) were reduced.