Strong winds are expected in the northern parts of Qatar today along with a chance of light rain in the early hours of the day, the Met department has said. Offshore areas, too, are likely to see strong winds along with high seas today. 
Parts of Qatar experienced rain yesterday as well, but it was less intense than in the previous two days – when thundershowers led to waterlogging at a number of places in the country. 
In Doha, overcast conditions prevailed for several hours yesterday before the clouds started clearing. 
Light rain was detected in some southern areas late yesterday evening, the Met department tweeted. Rain was also reported from the northern and central parts of the country in the early hours, along with light rain in the capital.
The detailed forecast for inshore areas says moderate temperatures are expected today along with scattered clouds. There is a chance of light rain at first, and it will be relatively cold by night. The wind speed in these areas may go up to 25 knots in the northern areas during the day.
Hazy and cloudy conditions, meanwhile, are likely in offshore areas. The wind speed may reach a high of 25 knots towards the north, with the sea level rising to 9ft. More than 40mn gallons of rainwater had been removed until yesterday evening, the Ministry of Municipality and Environment (MME) said on Twitter. Over 500 tankers had been deployed to drain out water across the country, it added. In a press statement, Mohamed Saif al-Hajiri, head of the MME’s rain emergency teams, stressed that they had been working round-the-clock to remove accumulated water. He said 50 tankers were added to the MME’s fleet of vehicles and equipment to boost the teams’ operations. 
Meanwhile, traders operating in Dragon Mart complained of water accumulation at several spots inside the sprawling facility due to “leakages in the roof and cracked pipes.” Shop workers could be seen mopping the floor to remove the water.


Call to avoid 
low-lying zones


The General Directorate of Civil Defence (GDCD) has urged the public to avoid driving through unpaved areas and low-lying areas, especially during rains and unusual weather conditions. Referring to a video that had spread on social media, in which Civil Defence personnel could be seen rescuing a motorist who was trapped in rainwater, the GDCD said the motorist was driving through an unpaved dirt track meant for cattle and not for motor vehicles. As a result, he was trapped in the water that had accumulated there. 
The directorate appealed to the public to exercise caution and monitor weather conditions before engaging in off-road driving.




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