Guides / Daily life / Outdoors & seasons
Rain, flooding, fog and sandstorms in Qatar: staying safe
What to do when Qatar gets heavy rain, thunderstorms, fog or a dust storm: where official warnings come from, how to drive, who to call about flooded roads or power faults, and how to protect your home, car and health.
Last reviewed: 13 October 2026
- When
- Rain mostly November to April; fog on winter mornings; dust storms mostly spring and early summer
- Emergency
- 999 for danger to life (police, ambulance, Civil Defence)
- Flooded roads
- Streets: Oun app or 184. Highways and tunnels: Ashghal 188
- Power faults
- Kahramaa 991, 24 hours
Qatar is dry most of the year, but when rain comes it often arrives as short, heavy thunderstorms, and the roads, underpasses and low-lying streets can fill with water within an hour. The cooler months also bring thick morning fog, and dust storms can cut visibility and trigger asthma, especially in spring and early summer. This guide is for anyone who has not lived through a Qatari storm yet, and for parents who want to know what happens to school. It goes in order: getting official warnings, preparing your home, staying safe with electricity, deciding whether to go out, driving in rain, water and fog, reporting flooded roads to the right authority, dust storms and health, camping and the outdoors, and finally dealing with damage to your car and home. Its partner guide for the hot months is summer heat safety.
Before you start
- The Q Weather app from the Qatar Meteorology Department (part of the Civil Aviation Authority) on your phone, with notifications on
- These numbers saved in your phone: 999 (emergency), 991 (Kahramaa), 184 (Ministry of Municipality), 188 (Ashghal)
- The Oun app installed and signed in with your QID, so you can report water pooling with a photo
- A torch or rechargeable emergency light and a charged power bank in case the power goes off
- Your car's tyres, wipers and lights checked before the rainy season, and your insurance policy wording to hand (does it include flood and storm cover?)
- Your landlord's or building watchman's number, for leaks and blocked roof drains
- For people with asthma or allergies: inhalers and any prescribed medicines in stock, and a few face masks
- Your child's school login for its online learning platform, in case lessons move online at short notice
Step by step
Follow official warnings, not forwarded messages
Qatar's weather forecasts and warnings come from the Qatar Meteorology Department (QMD), which is part of the Civil Aviation Authority. Its free Q Weather app (in English and Arabic) shows hourly forecasts and warnings for thunderstorms, strong wind and dust, and QMD also posts warnings on its official social media accounts. When a big storm is coming, the Government Communications Office, the Ministry of Interior (MOI), Ashghal and Kahramaa usually share advice and numbers on their own accounts as well. Forwarded voice notes and screenshots in WhatsApp groups are often old or from another country, so check the official source before acting on them. A warning usually comes a day or two ahead, which gives you time to prepare.
Get your home ready before the rainy season
Most flat roofs and balconies in Qatar drain through small outlets that get blocked by sand and leaves over the summer, and a blocked drain is the usual cause of water coming through ceilings. The Ministry of Municipality advises keeping rooftops clean and checking drains regularly, so in October or November clear (or ask your landlord to clear) roof and balcony drains, and check window and door seals. Move things off balconies that could blow away in a strong wind. If you rent, report cracks, damp patches or old leaks to the landlord in writing before the rain comes, because repairs are much easier to agree on before there is damage.
Read guide: Rent disputes and getting your deposit back in Qatar →Stay safe with electricity in a storm
Kahramaa, the electricity and water company, asks people not to leave electrical devices out in the rain, not to touch switches or appliances with wet hands, and not to use extension leads in wet places. If a device falls into water, switch off the power before you pick it up. In a power cut, unplug appliances so they are not damaged when the power returns, and keep an emergency light ready. Outside, keep away from street-light poles, electrical boxes and open drainage covers, and do not shelter under tall, isolated trees during lightning. Report fallen cables, damaged electrical boxes or power cuts to Kahramaa on 991.
Read guide: Kahramaa: connecting electricity and water and paying bills →Check school and work arrangements, and stay in if you can
When severe weather is forecast, the Ministry of Education and Higher Education can move public and private schools to distance learning for the day; it did this for 16 April 2024 after a thunderstorm warning, announcing it the evening before, and the government told its own employees to work from home the same day (except security, health and other on-site jobs). Watch the ministry's announcements and your school's messages, and make sure your child can log in to the school's platform. Private employers decide for themselves, so ask your manager or HR what applies to you. Whatever the rules, the safest choice during the worst of a storm is to delay trips that are not essential.
Drive slowly and gently in the rain
The first rain after a long dry spell makes roads very slippery, because oil and dust on the surface turn into a greasy film. The MOI's advice is to slow down, use your wipers, avoid overtaking, keep a bigger distance from the car ahead and brake gradually rather than suddenly. Use low-beam headlights so others can see you. Do not drive with hazard lights flashing while moving: the MOI says to use them only when you have come to a complete stop. Keep the access clear for police, ambulances and pumping teams, and do not stop on the road to film the rain.
Read guide: After a car accident in Qatar: police report, Metrash and insurance →Never drive or walk into standing water
The MOI warns drivers not to be tricked by puddles and not to test them. Water in underpasses, tunnels and low streets is often deeper than it looks, it can hide an open drain or a pothole, and it can stall your engine and leave you stranded. If a road ahead is flooded, turn round and find another route, and never drive past a closed road or barrier. If your car stalls in water, do not keep trying to restart it; get out if it is safe, move to higher ground and call 999 if anyone is in danger. On foot, keep children well away from flooded areas and open manholes.
Read guide: Emergencies in Qatar: who to call and where to go →Report flooded roads to the right authority
Reporting water pooling is free, and sending it to the right place gets it cleared faster. For water in residential streets, car parks and neighbourhoods, report to the Ministry of Municipality through the Oun app (rainwater removal) or call 184, with a photo and the exact location. For highways, main roads and tunnels, contact Ashghal (the Public Works Authority) on 188 or through its app; after the March 2026 storms Ashghal said it had cleared about 85% of 770 reported water pools using hundreds of tankers and mobile pumps, so expect some delay at busy times. Report power faults to Kahramaa on 991, and call 999 only if someone is in danger.
Read guide: Reporting municipal problems with the Oun app and the 184 call centre →Drive carefully in fog
Thick fog is common on winter mornings, especially on highways and near the coast, and visibility can drop to almost nothing. The MOI's fog advice is to switch on low-beam headlights, avoid speeding, overtaking and changing lanes, signal early, double the gap to the car in front, use wipers and the demister to clear condensation, and follow the lane markings or the right edge of the road. Hazard lights are for when you have stopped, not while moving. If you cannot see at all, pull right off the road to a safe place, switch on the hazard lights and wait until the fog lifts. If you can, leave a little later; fog usually clears as the sun rises.
Protect your health in a dust storm
Dust storms are hardest on people with asthma or other chest problems, older people and children. The Ministry of Public Health and HMC advise staying indoors as much as possible, keeping doors and windows shut (damp towels along the gaps help), wearing a mask and glasses if you must go out, and washing your face, eyes and hands when you come back. People with allergies should start their prescribed medicine early, and outdoor workers should rotate shifts and wear masks. Go to a health centre for coughing, watery eyes or wheezing, and to an emergency department, or call 999, for real difficulty breathing. On the road, slow right down, because visibility on highways can drop suddenly.
Read guide: Emergencies in Qatar: who to call and where to go →Take care at camps, beaches and in the desert
Storms are most dangerous in open areas. For the March 2026 thunderstorm forecast the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change told campers to secure tents before the wind picks up, shelter in a car or cabin rather than a tent, avoid coastal camps when the waves are high, and never park in low ground or natural water channels, which can flood quickly. Switch off generators and electric power in strong wind and rain, do not light fires or use electrical devices during the storm, and keep away from exposed metal structures in lightning. Avoid the beach and the sea when strong wind or high waves are forecast, and postpone desert drives until the ground has dried.
Read guide: Winter camping in Qatar: season dates, registration and rules →Deal with damage to your car
Third-party liability insurance, the legal minimum, does not pay for damage to your own car. A comprehensive policy pays for flood, storm, hail or lightning damage only if that cover is included, which at some insurers (for example QIC) is an optional add-on. If your car was damaged, do not start an engine that has stood in deep water; take photos and videos where it is, then call your insurer or its app straight away and ask which report it needs before the repair. Keep receipts for towing. If a falling object or another driver damaged your car, report it to the MOI as you would an accident.
Read guide: Car insurance in Qatar: third-party vs comprehensive →Sort out leaks and damage at home
If water comes through a ceiling near a light or socket, switch off that circuit (or the main breaker) before you do anything else, and call an electrician; call Kahramaa on 991 for faults outside the home or 999 if there is a fire or sparks. Move belongings out of the way, catch the water, and photograph the damage and its cause, such as a blocked roof drain or a cracked window seal. Tell your landlord or building management in writing the same day, because repairs to the structure are normally the landlord's job and a written record helps if there is a dispute later. If you have home contents insurance, report the damage to your insurer before throwing anything away.
Read guide: Home contents insurance in Qatar for tenants and owners →
What it costs
| Reporting water pooling (Oun app, 184 or Ashghal 188) | Free |
| Ambulance in an emergency (999) | Free within Qatar |
| Flood and storm cover for your car | Not in third-party cover; optional add-on to comprehensive at some insurers, priced by the insurer |
Official fees at the time of review. Fees change, so confirm before paying.
Common mistakes
- Driving into a flooded underpass or tunnel to see how deep it is
- Driving with hazard lights flashing in rain or fog, which confuses other drivers; use them only when stopped
- Trusting forwarded WhatsApp warnings or school-closure messages instead of QMD and ministry announcements
- Calling 999 for a puddle in the street instead of using Oun, 184 or 188, which keeps the emergency line free
- Assuming third-party car insurance, or a comprehensive policy without the add-on, will pay for flood damage
- Restarting a car that has stood in deep water
- Leaving roof and balcony drains blocked after the summer, then finding the leak in the ceiling
- Pitching a tent or parking in a low area or water channel in the desert when storms are forecast
Questions people ask
Are schools closed when it rains in Qatar?
Schools are not closed automatically. When the Qatar Meteorology Department forecasts severe weather, the Ministry of Education and Higher Education can switch public and private schools to distance learning for the day, as it did on 16 April 2024, usually announcing it the evening before. Follow the ministry's official accounts and your school's messages rather than forwarded posts.
Does my private-sector company have to let me work from home on a rain day?
Remote-work directives on storm days have been issued for government employees, as in April 2024. Private employers make their own decision, so check with your manager or HR. If your route is flooded or unsafe, tell your employer early and keep a record of the message.
Who do I call about water flooding my street or a tunnel?
For residential streets and neighbourhoods, use the Oun app or call the Ministry of Municipality on 184. For highways, main roads and tunnels, call Ashghal on 188 or use its app. For power faults call Kahramaa on 991, and call 999 only if someone's life or safety is at risk.
My car was flooded in the rain. Will insurance pay?
Only if you have comprehensive cover that includes flood and storm damage; third-party cover never pays for your own car. Do not try to start the engine, take photos where the car is, and contact your insurer at once to ask which report it needs. Check the exact wording of your policy, because at some insurers flood cover is an optional extra.
Water is leaking through my ceiling during rain. Who pays for the repair?
Leaks from the roof, drains or the building structure are normally the landlord's responsibility, but your lease may say more. Make it safe first (switch off power near the leak), photograph everything and tell the landlord in writing straight away. If they refuse to repair it, see our rent dispute guide.
Can I use hazard lights when driving in heavy rain or fog?
The MOI says no: hazard lights are only for a complete stop. While moving, use low-beam headlights, slow down and keep a bigger gap. If you cannot see, pull off the road to a safe place, then switch on the hazard lights.
Where can I see official weather warnings in English?
The Qatar Meteorology Department's Q Weather app works in English and Arabic and shows forecasts and warnings for thunderstorms, wind and dust. QMD and the Government Communications Office also post warnings on their official social media accounts, and news sites such as The Peninsula and Gulf Times report them.
What should I do in a sandstorm if my child has asthma?
Keep your child indoors with windows and doors shut, make sure their inhaler and any prescribed medicines are at hand, and follow their asthma plan. If they must go out, a mask helps. If they become wheezy or need their reliever more than usual, see a doctor or health centre; if they struggle to breathe, go to a Pediatric Emergency Centre or call 999.
Official sources
- The Peninsula (Mar 2026): safety guidelines and helplines issued during rain ↗
- The Peninsula (Mar 2026): Kahramaa safety tips during rainfall ↗
- Gulf Times (Mar 2026): Ashghal clears 85% of rainwater reports ↗
- Gulf Times (Dec 2024): MOI advice for driving in fog ↗
- QNA (Mar 2026): campers urged to follow safety measures in thunderstorms ↗
- Qatar Tribune (Apr 2024): schools move to distance learning due to weather ↗
Always check the official source before acting. QatarSteps is independent and not a government website.