The west coast received its first major downpour of the winter on Monday when rains lashed Abu Dhabi and Dubai.

Residents welcomed the wet conditions, which meteorologists said were caused by a weak low pressure system.

And the forecasters warned that conditions may stay unsettled.

"The rain was short but beautiful. We all, including the kids, rushed to the rooftop to enjoy it fully," said Abu Dhabi resident A.K. Majeed, who comes from Kerala in India.

Cloudy

Clouds started gathering over the capital in the early morning and by noon the skies were covered with a thick, dark overcast.

The rain started shortly after 1.30pm and was accompanied by thunder and winds of up to 35 knots.

Heavy rain accompanied by strong winds and thunder were also reported in Ras Al Ghanadha on the Abu Dhabi to Dubai highway.

In Al Khazna on the Abu Dhabi to Al Ain highway, the skies were cloudy but there were no reports of rain or strong winds.

Temperature drops

Dubai received its soaking later in the afternoon, although in northern parts of the city the rainfall was lighter.

At Dubai International Airport 0.2mm of rain was recorded.

The overcast and rainy conditions caused temperatures in Abu Dhabi and Dubai to fall temporarily by several degrees.

Clive Stevens, duty forecaster at Dubai International Airport, said this type of unsettled weather was 'something that happens in winter'.

He added: "It is typical of November with cooler air coming in over the warm sea, leading to unstable conditions.

"After Tuesday morning it will probably clear up and only be partly cloudy. By 10am it should have stopped raining."

The unsettled conditions could lead to slightly rougher seas with winds of more than 20 knots producing waves of three to six feet offshore.