Dubai experienced a dramatic weather moment on Thursday when lightning struck the top of the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest tower, amid heavy rain lashing parts of the United Arab Emirates.
Crown Prince of Dubai and Minister of Defense of the UAE, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, shared a video capturing the rare sight. The footage shows the Burj Khalifa standing against green, cloud-filled skies as lightning strikes its peak.
The video was shared hours after the crown prince urged residents to prepare for rainy days ahead. On Wednesday, Sheikh Hamdan posted Instagram Reels showing rain-laden clouds slowly drifting across the dunes, followed by a weather map illustrating the clouds’ movements in the coming days.
According to the National Center of Meteorology (NCM), the United Arab Emirates entered the top of the ‘Al Bashayer’ low pressure system 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 an extension of a surface low pressure system from the Red Sea. This will result in cloud formations at varying heights, leading to rainfall of varying intensity accompanied by lightning, thunder and a chance of hail over limited areas.”
Authorities have advised residents to stay up-to-date with official weather alerts and take necessary precautions during the unstable conditions.
