Dubai witnessed a dramatic weather moment on Thursday when lightning struck the top of the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest tower, amid heavy rain that lashed parts of the United Arab Emirates.
Dubai Crown Prince and UAE Defense Minister Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum shared a video capturing the rare sight. Footage shows the Burj Khalifa standing against a green, cloud-filled sky as lightning reaches its peak.
The video was shared hours after the crown prince urged residents to prepare for the coming days of rain. On Wednesday, Sheikh Hamdan posted Instagram reels showing rain-laden clouds slowly moving over sand dunes, followed by a weather map illustrating the movement of clouds in the coming days.
According to the National Center of Meteorology (NCM), the UAE entered the peak of the low pressure system ‘Al Bashayer’ on Thursday, December 18.
Parts of Sharjah and Ras Al Khaimah also experienced heavy rain and hail on Thursday.
“The United Arab Emirates is affected by an unstable weather situation due to the extension of a low pressure system on the surface of the Red Sea. This will result in cloud formations of different heights, causing rain of different intensities accompanied by lightning, thunder and the possibility of hail in limited areas.”
Authorities have advised residents to stay up to date with official weather alerts and take necessary precautions during unstable conditions.
