Owing to rains, traffic movement was affected on flooded roads in and around Doha yesterday. PICTURE: Jayaram Right: Children racing on bicycles on a flooded internal street in Doha. PICTURE: Noushad Thekkayil
Qatar received substantial showers yesterday, coinciding with World Water Day, with more thundershowers and lightning forecast for today.
The rain, which started in the early hours yesterday, left many streets in the country flooded, slowing down road traffic and disrupting air traffic at Hamad International Airport for a few hours, resulting in several flights being diverted to neighbouring GCC countries.
Many of the open grounds in the country turned muddy owing to the intensity of rains, making it impossible for motorists to leave their vehicles in such places, particularly in Doha’s West Bay area.
Commuters had a difficult time on the roads, especially on some streets in the main city areas where road works and other development activities are taking place.
The weather forecast for today is that thundershowers and lightning will continue and winds will be strong, both in the offshore and onshore areas. While winds of up to 33 knots are on the cards in the offshore areas, onshore may receive similarly strong winds of up to 30 knots.
Cloudy conditions are expected to diminish visibility across the country. Possibilities are that the visibility may
come down to less than 2km.
Fishermen are advised caution as chances of high seas both in the onshore and offshore areas are on the forecast. In the offshore areas, the sea would be turbulent and stormy and may go up by as much as 10-13ft.
Today morning, like that of yesterday, would be cooler with temperatures below 20 degrees Celsius. Compared to the southern areas, the northern region will be a little warmer, the Met office has said.
The country is expected to experience minimum and maximum temperatures of 18 and 24 degrees Celsius today, with a possibility of such climatic conditions extending for another day.
BELOW:
Many interior roads, such as this one at Al Luqta, were completely flooded. PICTURE: Shaji Kayamkulam
Right: Vehicles negotiating a waterlogged road. PICTURE: Shemeer Rasheed
