Strong winds and thunderstorms lashed Doha and other parts of the country on Thursday, as the Qatar Met department said thundershowers and windy conditions are expected in some places on Friday as well.

Offshore areas, too, are likely to see thundery rain in the early hours on Friday along with strong winds and high seas.

The Met department also said in a report that the unsettled weather, with chances of thunderstorms, is expected to continue until Sunday.

A state of atmospheric instability resulting from the extension of a low-pressure system over the region continues affecting the country, the Met department said in the report issued on Thursday evening.

Some areas witnessed thunderstorms Thursday afternoon, accompanied by "strong downdraft winds" that reached a speed of 39 knots in Al Wakra, which also recorded the highest rainfall at 9.1mm.

The chances of scattered thunderstorms are expected to continue in intermittent periods until Sunday. The thundery conditions will be accompanied by strong winds, resulting in rising dust and poor visibility in some areas and hail at times, according to the report.

The Met department has urged people to take extra care, avoid going to sea and follow latest updates through its official accounts as this period is known for fast weather fluctuations.

The authorities concerned issued safety advisories on Thursday as thunderstorms, rain, strong winds as well as hail and dust were reported from many places, especially in the southern parts of the country.

Videos and images shared on social media showed the intensity of the conditions.

A tweet by the Met department said scattered thunderstorms were concentrated mainly to the south of Doha, accompanied by strong downdraft winds in the Hamad International Airport area. Another tweet said dusty conditions were seen in Abu Nakhla due to strong downdraft winds from thunderstorms.

The department also tweeted about thunderstorms continuing in Al Wakra and central and southern areas, accompanied by strong winds and hail at times.

Friday 's detailed forecast says the wind speed may go up to 25 knots offshore and 24 knots inshore during thundershowers, with the sea level rising to 7ft.

In Doha, the temperature is expected to range from 27C to 34C on Friday.


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