A motorist driving through a water-logged road in the Barwa Housing Complex in Assailiya yesterday after nearly an hour of intermittent rains. (Mohamed Iqbal)
DOHA: Intermittent rains yesterday lashed some parts of the country, mainly the north, north-west and central areas, with weathermen forecasting moderate and scattered showers in southern and south-eastern regions this afternoon.
“Some places could even witness normal rains (this afternoon),” a weatherman told this newspaper saying that pinpointing exact areas was not possible.
Several areas in central regions as well as Al Shamal, including north-west, witnessed intermittent rains for close to an hour last afternoon.
Eye witnesses said Al Rayan, Assailiya, Dukhan and Al Shahaniya areas were among those that witnessed intermittent rains accompanied by strong wind, thunder and lightning.
The weather is expected to be cloudy today and thunder, lighting and rains could be witnessed in some areas of the country in the afternoon, the forecaster said.
He said there is low pressure over the Arabian Sea but added that rain clouds were being formed in the Gulf region locally due to heat and humidity. “This is a normal phenomenon this time of the year,” said the forecaster.
Humidity levels ranged between 70 and 85 percent yesterday and the situation is expected to be the same today. Dukhan is likely to be the coolest place in the country with the minimum temperature being 28 degrees Celsius and the maximum being 34 degrees.
Elsewhere in the country, including Doha, minimum temperatures have been forecast at between 29 and 30 degrees Celsius for today while the maximum at between 35 and 37 degrees Celsius. Some places in the country that might not witness rains, would have dust hanging in the clouds, said the weatherman. A highlight today would be the wind direction changing from north-easterly to north-westerly in the day that would likely add some pleasantness to the overall weather condition.
However, the wind speed is expected to slow down from 5 to 15 knots on average an hour to eight knots as the direction of the wind changes to north-westerly.
According to the forecaster, the present weather condition is a transition between the hot summer season and the upcoming winter. “You could expect a drop in the mercury by October-end or early November and that would herald the onset of the winter season,” he said.
The Peninsula
