Today's Edition
SADEQ ALKHOORI (ABU DHABI)
The moment rain began to pour over Abu Dhabi this week, residents adapted their routines. What stood out was not the disruption, but the city's responsiveness and how daily life recalibrated almost instantly to changing conditions.
Residents checked forecasts more closely. Trips were re-routed. Meetings were rescheduled or moved online. Plans that would usually happen without thought were filtered through one question: is it worth going out?
"I usually leave at the same time every day, but when it rains, everything changes," said Ahmed Al Mazrouei, who lives in Abu Dhabi. "Either I leave earlier, or I wait. You can't treat it like a normal day."
Another resident, Abdulla Al Muhairi, also reorganised his schedule and woke up earlier than usual to make room for adjustments.
"Usually, everything here is planned around clear weather, so when it rains, I kind of slow things down. I leave earlier for work, and I end up spending more time indoors, either at cafés or at home instead of going outside," he said. "Even small things, like errands, I just move them to another day."
Fatima Al Nuaimi also cancelled a couple of plans this week. "It's easier to adjust your day than deal with the delays," the resident said.
Across the city, the same pattern of adaptation repeats itself. Driving behaviour reflects it most clearly. Speeds drop while distances widen, as advised by the authorities. The Abu Dhabi Police have urged motorists to exercise caution and warned against driving through wadis during rainfall.
For delivery riders, the shift is more immediate. "When heavy rain comes, we cannot keep going all the time," said driver Khalid Naser. "We stop on the side, wait a little, then move again. Then again the rain comes, so we stop again or find some place to stay."
"Other drivers tell me, if clouds are light and not very dark, and you can see some sun, then it is okay to drive. But when it is dark and water is everywhere, it is very difficult. Light rain is fine, but heavy rain is not easy for us," Naser added.
Not all responses, however, are cautious as some residents lean into the change.
"I stayed out longer than I should have as my dog ran around and enjoyed it more than usual," said Andy Shevchenko. "You don't get this kind of weather often. It felt different."
