Dubai Police pushed emergency notifications to residents’ mobile phones on 14 December advising heightened caution as an unstable weather system brings heavy rain, strong winds and rough seas across the Emirates. The message, echoed on social media in Arabic and English, urges drivers to reduce speed, maintain safe distances and avoid flooded wadis.
From a mobility perspective the alert is timely: December is already peak inbound-tourism season, with Dubai International Airport expecting more than 250,000 daily passengers. Sudden downpours can trigger road-closures on Sheikh Zayed Road and force diversions at DXB if standing water accumulates near taxiways. In 2022 similar storms caused four-hour immigration queues after arriving travellers were bus-bussed to remote stands.
Hotels have been asked by Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism to update contingency plans for late check-ins, while ground-transport apps are adding surge-pricing caps and pre-booking options. Corporate travel managers should remind staff to allow extra transfer time to meetings and ensure policy coverage for weather-related delays.
![Dubai Police issues weather alert, warns travellers of potential transport disruptions this week]()
In case weather disruptions force last-minute route changes or unexpected stopovers, VisaHQ can streamline any required UAE or onward-country visa formalities. Through its dedicated portal (https://www.visahq.com/united-arab-emirates/) travellers can apply, extend or renew visas online in minutes, giving tourists, business visitors and travel managers early visibility on documentation status while avoiding extra trips to embassies during the storms.
The National Centre of Meteorology forecasts intermittent storms through Wednesday, with waves in the Arabian Gulf rising to two metres—conditions that could suspend Abra water-taxi services and delay Jebel Ali port operations. Airlines have not announced proactive cancellations, but Etihad and Emirates both issued social-media advisories encouraging passengers to monitor flight status and use online check-in to reduce airport dwell-time.
For expatriate families driving to Oman or Saudi Arabia for the school holidays, Police reiterated that border posts may impose temporary closures if visibility falls below safety thresholds. Travellers should carry copies of car-insurance green cards and ensure visas are printed in case of system outages at remote land crossings.
From a mobility perspective the alert is timely: December is already peak inbound-tourism season, with Dubai International Airport expecting more than 250,000 daily passengers. Sudden downpours can trigger road-closures on Sheikh Zayed Road and force diversions at DXB if standing water accumulates near taxiways. In 2022 similar storms caused four-hour immigration queues after arriving travellers were bus-bussed to remote stands.
Hotels have been asked by Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism to update contingency plans for late check-ins, while ground-transport apps are adding surge-pricing caps and pre-booking options. Corporate travel managers should remind staff to allow extra transfer time to meetings and ensure policy coverage for weather-related delays.
In case weather disruptions force last-minute route changes or unexpected stopovers, VisaHQ can streamline any required UAE or onward-country visa formalities. Through its dedicated portal (https://www.visahq.com/united-arab-emirates/) travellers can apply, extend or renew visas online in minutes, giving tourists, business visitors and travel managers early visibility on documentation status while avoiding extra trips to embassies during the storms.
The National Centre of Meteorology forecasts intermittent storms through Wednesday, with waves in the Arabian Gulf rising to two metres—conditions that could suspend Abra water-taxi services and delay Jebel Ali port operations. Airlines have not announced proactive cancellations, but Etihad and Emirates both issued social-media advisories encouraging passengers to monitor flight status and use online check-in to reduce airport dwell-time.
For expatriate families driving to Oman or Saudi Arabia for the school holidays, Police reiterated that border posts may impose temporary closures if visibility falls below safety thresholds. Travellers should carry copies of car-insurance green cards and ensure visas are printed in case of system outages at remote land crossings.
