An unusual weather pattern unleashed severe thunderstorms across parts of the Middle East last week, battering countries including the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. The Arabian peninsula – typically dominated by arid desert climates – received up to 150mm of rain in just a few days.

The deluge was caused by an abnormally strong jet stream, which helped a deep area of low pressure to develop north of Saudi Arabia. This, in turn, drew moist tropical air from the Indian Ocean and triggered intense storms.

In Oman, hailstones as large as tennis balls fell during Wednesday evening’s storms, alongside torrential rain. Doha, Qatar’s capital, experienced flooding the same day.

Further thunderstorms developed on Thursday evening, with a more organised line crossing the UAE and hitting densely populated areas such as Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Gusts of up to 80mph, large hail and intense lightning were reported, as heavy rainfall caused widespread flooding.

While thunderstorms are not rare in the region – Dubai endured extreme flooding from a storm system in April 2024 – the multiday nature of last week’s deluge is more commonly seen in the US and central Europe in spring and summer.

A weather station on Jebel Yanas in northern UAE recorded 244mm of rainfall, with many others exceeding 100mm in just a few days, far surpassing typical annual totals of 60-100mm. The event reflects a broader global trend of storms bringing more intense rainfall as the climate warms.

Attention is shifting to the Mediterranean, where a developing low-pressure system south-east of Italy is expected to bring heavy rain and thunderstorms to Greece, Turkey and other countries in south-east Europe this week.

Rainfall totals could reach 100mm in places on Tuesday and Wednesday, raising the risk of flooding, while 60-80mph gusts may affect parts of northern Africa, including Libya, which was hit by Storm Samuel, a similar system, this month.