Photo by Juidin Bernarrd Source: Khaleej Times

For a country where people believe summer is present all year round, the weather in the UAE proved to be shifting towards heavy rain and wind. 

During the early hours on Monday, UAE residents were taken by surprise with massive showers that caused floods in Sharjah, Dubai, and Abu Dhabi. 

According to Khaleej Times, Dubai witnessed around 147 car accidents in just four hours. The Dubai Police command and control unit received 2,566 emergency calls between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m.

The National Centre of Meteorology (NCM) has been tweeting out updates regarding the intense weather, with maps that show which areas are in danger and which are safe.

The NCM also warned of dust storms, as wind speed is set to increase and carry with it sand. 

Authorities all around the country are warning motorists to drive slowly, avoid mountainous areas, and "places of running flood."

"Allow extra time for your journey and check your planned route. It's also advisable to slow down as rain makes roads slippery," advised Colonel Muhammad Al Muhairi, acting director of command and control centre at Dubai Police.

The number of patrols around mountainous regions has been increased by Dubai Police to monitor the areas around the clock.

The heavy floods affected schools and flights as well, causing a number of schools to close down for the safety of the students. 

School administrators had to send back pupils home, notifying their parents of the suspensions due to "bad weather conditions that flooded the roads between Sharjah and Dubai."

Emirates Airline delayed some flights coming in and out of Dubai International Airport, advising flyers to check with their carrier for the latest updates.

Heavy traffic left people stuck on the road for hours, with many car accidents occurring near exists. 

"Heavy traffic was likewise causing delays on Shaikh Zayed Road, from Mall of the Emirates to the area near Noor Bank Metro Station, as well as in other locations, including the Dubai-Sharjah Road, Ras Al Khor Road and sections near Dubai Mall, Zabeel Park, Dubai Garden Glow, Al Jaffliya Metro Station and Dubai World Trade Centre, among many others," according to Gulf News.

The temperature is expected to drop even further in coming days, but will go back to high 20s around Wednesday.