Out with Mrs J today in the Jeep driving between northern UAE (Ras al Khaima) to Sharjah along the coast. Nice and sunny and about 24 deg. Looking out towards the sea- a huge storm out to sea - SO WE THOUGHT, and it is very black, lightning in the clouds and quite spectacular. Then we realise this storm is moving towards us at quite a rate. First light rain and medium winds and then the nightmare begins. The rain increases and the winds start to pick up the loose sand, rain drops now the size of golf balls (fortunately not frozen as this does happen - a bugger on your bodywork!). Visibility quickly reduces to about zero in a combination of sand and rain. The Jeep is being physically moved acroos the road even when down to 30km/h.
Manage to find a bridge and with 6 other motorists get sufficent shelter as the wind speed increases to something which must, at a guess have been 50-60mph plus. Last for about 10 mins and the road starts to flood under the bridge and quickly to about 2 feet in depth. Thank goodness for Jeep and the ride height.
As the visibility starts to clear we slowly move from under the bridge to find total carnage in the surrounding area - lamposts across the road, all sorts of road furniture (signs etc) broken and across the road which is now flooding and getting deeper. 5 cars in a road adjacent to the main road are now floating in a sea of sand mud and water. Keep speed down to 20km/h through the flood water which gradually clears as we move away from the eye of the storm. Looking back we can see the storm as it moves west across the desert. 40 km further up the road - sun, sea and sand as if nothing has happened. Storm Chasers - barking mad if you ask me...!
Manage to find a bridge and with 6 other motorists get sufficent shelter as the wind speed increases to something which must, at a guess have been 50-60mph plus. Last for about 10 mins and the road starts to flood under the bridge and quickly to about 2 feet in depth. Thank goodness for Jeep and the ride height.
As the visibility starts to clear we slowly move from under the bridge to find total carnage in the surrounding area - lamposts across the road, all sorts of road furniture (signs etc) broken and across the road which is now flooding and getting deeper. 5 cars in a road adjacent to the main road are now floating in a sea of sand mud and water. Keep speed down to 20km/h through the flood water which gradually clears as we move away from the eye of the storm. Looking back we can see the storm as it moves west across the desert. 40 km further up the road - sun, sea and sand as if nothing has happened. Storm Chasers - barking mad if you ask me...!
