Dubai has a little secret. It doesn’t really know how to handle rain.
Most people think that booking a trip to Dubai guarantees a sunny day. But sometimes, instead of sunbathing, you’ll spend the day watching puddles form on the streets.
That’s Dubai on a rainy day.
Now, to be fair, Dubai’s weather report usually toggles between “hot” and “even hotter.” But sometimes, Mother Nature likes to toss in a curveball. Between the the “is-my-ice-cream-melting” heat of the summer and the pleasant breezes of winter, there’s a brief phase when the skies get moody.
During these rare moments, Dubai doesn’t just get showers, but also storms with a sandy bonus: shamals or sandstorms. Now, if you’re anywhere else in the world, you might think, “A little rain? Cute.” But for Dubai, a desert city, rain is a clumsy, unexpected guest who never RSVPs.
Here’s the thing: in its meteoric rise from a quaint fishing village to a global hotspot, Dubai might’ve overlooked one tiny detail: drains. It’s as if the city planners thought, “Rain? In the desert? Nah.” So when it does rain, roads become impromptu streams, and drivers? Let’s hope they brought their boat license.
The closest thing to a comparison would be when London sees a snowflake and the entire city collectively decides to work from home.
But here’s the silver lining. Rain in Dubai is like a pop-up event. It’s here, causes a stir, and then it’s gone. Soon after, the sun returns, business as usual, ensuring you can go back to your regularly scheduled sunbathing.
So, if you ever find yourself in Dubai during a downpour, grab a mocktail, enjoy the show, and remember, sunshine is just around the corner!