Dubai: The UAE is settling into a significant wet weather window, as residents woke up to cloudy skies and light rain, earlier today.

The National Centre of Meteorology (NCM) forecasts a wave of rain and strong winds to sweep the country through Monday.

Explaining the current conditions, Dr Ahmed Habib, a meteorologist at NCM, told Emirates24/7: "We are currently in the spring season, before summer begins, which normally starts in the Northern Hemisphere from June 21. So, this period change from stable to unstable conditions is a normal characteristic not just in the UAE, but across the Middle East."

The shift began early this morning with a sharp chill, as the mercury plunged to a crisp 13°C in Al Ain’s Raknah district. The forecast says this is just the beginning of a cooling trend driven by convective cloud formations moving across the peninsula.

Dr Habib said: "The instability is being driven by a combination of low-pressure systems at different atmospheric levels – a low-pressure extension from the Arabian Sea in the lower atmosphere, and another low-pressure system extending from the Mediterranean in the upper atmosphere." This, he said, creates ideal conditions for cloud formation.

“These systems are generating instability, leading to cloud build-up over Saudi Arabia, which is gradually moving towards the UAE,” he explained.

"The weather system has already begun impacting parts of the country, bringing light to moderate rainfall across northern and southern areas, as well as Al Ain, before shifting towards Al Dhafra."

Dr Habib added that while rain is expected to persist over the coming days, it will not be continuous. Instead, residents can expect intermittent breaks, where conditions turn partly cloudy as the upper low-pressure system temporarily weakens or shifts northward.

He also stressed that such fluctuations are typical for this time of year, as the region transitions from winter to summer.

Elizebeth K., a long-time UAE resident, loves the cool spell the country is witnessing. She told Emirates 24/7: "I've been here 30 years, and these are truly my favourite months. It’s like an amazing blend of spring and monsoon. Nature's happy, people are out, time for some delicious warm meals with family and friends this weekend."

So don’t forget your warm clothes when you're out and about this weekend.