Dubai experienced strong winds on Sunday, with gusts reaching up to 53 km/h, as unstable weather conditions swept across parts of the UAE.

According to weather data, sustained winds of around 35 km/h from the west-north-west were recorded, placing conditions in the “fresh to strong breeze” category on the Beaufort scale, with peak gusts approaching “high wind” levels.

The National Center of Meteorology (NCM) issued dust alerts on Sunday afternoon, warning of reduced visibility in several areas across the country between 13:20 and 17:20.

Maps shared by the authority show affected areas stretching across parts of Abu Dhabi, Dubai and the northern emirates, with orange zones indicating more intense conditions.

The alerts come as shifting winds lift sand and dust into the air — a common feature during unstable weather systems in the region.

What’s driving the strong winds?

The current conditions are being driven by a combination of atmospheric factors:

• Low-pressure system: A regional low-pressure system is drawing air into the area, increasing wind speeds
• Upper-level disturbance: Cooler air moving at higher altitudes is creating instability in the atmosphere
• Pressure gradients: Strong differences in air pressure are accelerating winds across the UAE
• Wind shift: Westerly to north-westerly winds are funnelling across the Arabian Gulf into the country

Together, these factors are creating a more dynamic weather pattern than usual for this time of year.

Conditions expected to ease

Forecast data suggests that wind speeds are likely to gradually ease into the evening on Sunday, dropping below 20 km/h later in the day.

However, dusty conditions may persist in some areas, particularly where winds remain active.

American colt Magnitude won the 30th edition of the Dubai World Cup held at the Meydan Racecourse on Saturday, March 28.

This year’s Dubai World Cup features horses and jockeys from across the globe, representing some of the sport’s most prominent owners, breeders and trainers.

A total of 101 horses from 17 countries competed across nine races for a total prize money of $30.5m.

Trained by Steve Asmussen and ridden by Jose Ortiz, the four-year-old completed the 2,000-metre race on dirt in 2:04.38, taking the $6.96m top prize from the $12m purse sponsored by Emirates airline.

He finished 0.98 lengths ahead of his closest challenger in a field of nine international runners.

Japan’s Forever Young, owned by Susumu Fujita and trained by Yoshito Yahagi, placed second to earn $2.4m.

The UAE’s Meydaan, owned by Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and trained by Simon and Ed Crisford, finished third under William Buick, collecting $1.2m.

Magnitude’s win adds to the strong record of US horses in the Dubai World Cup since the race began in 1996.

Dubai World Cup: Celebrating 30 years

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, attended the 30th edition of the race. He was accompanied by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the UAE.

Speaking on the occasion, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum said the Dubai World Cup has, over three decades, established itself as one of the world’s greatest equestrian events, reflecting the UAE’s long-term vision and its ability to turn bold ideas into success stories.

Read: Dubai Racing Club, Tokinvest to develop a global equine token marketplace

Lead image courtesy: WAM

Amid ongoing global economic fluctuations and geopolitical shifts, the UAE continues to distinguish itself as a resilient and forward-looking destination for investors. Transparent regulations, strong infrastructure, and a leadership vision centred on diversification and innovation are reinforcing investor confidence.

The country’s role as a global connector between East and West further enhances its attractiveness, offering businesses access to high-growth emerging markets while maintaining strong links to established economies.

Companies operating in the UAE are not only sustaining momentum but actively expanding and thriving. As such, global companies are increasingly choosing the UAE as their strategic base, with the UAE witnessing a significant shift in global capital flows, particularly from Asia.

In line with this momentum, Asia Bankers Club is expanding its UAE membership services to offer enhanced international market-entry support, curated introductions, and strategic advisory services. This includes facilitating access to cross-border opportunities, trusted networks, and actionable market intelligence.

“Our experience on the ground reinforces this reality every day. Sentiment remains strong, underpinned by transparent regulations, world-class infrastructure, and a forward-thinking leadership committed to diversification and innovation. Rather than being defined by regional challenges, the UAE has reinforced its position as a dependable hub for capital, talent, and enterprise. This measured, forward-looking approach ensures that our members view the country not only as a place to preserve value, but as a platform for sustainable growth and long-term expansion,” said Kingston Lai, founder and CEO of Asia Bankers Club.

Read: Dubai rises to 7th place in Global Financial Centres Index

What makes the UAE appealing

The growing appeal of the UAE is reflected in corporate presence. Approximately 70 per cent of Fortune 500 companies have already established regional headquarters or operations in the country—a figure expected to rise significantly in the near future as the UAE continues to attract global talent and enhance its regulatory frameworks.

Free zone partnerships are also playing a pivotal role in simplifying market entry and enhancing operational efficiency for international businesses. By collaborating with leading UAE free zones, companies are able to seamlessly navigate regulatory frameworks while gaining early access to trusted networks, strategic partners, and valuable local insights that accelerate cross-border growth.

“This flight to stability, combined with the UAE’s business-friendly environment and strategic location, is accelerating cross-border flows. We expect this momentum to strengthen over the next five years. The UAE is rapidly positioning itself as a bridge for capital, talent, and strategic investment between Asia, the Middle East, and beyond,” added Kingston Lai.

The UAE is no longer just a secondary base for global companies. It is increasingly becoming the primary hub for organisations and high-net-worth individuals looking to access markets across Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Middle East from a single, trusted location.

“Our expanded presence in Dubai reflects both personal and organisational confidence in the UAE market. We are committed to enabling our members to navigate new markets with speed, credibility, and confidence,” concluded Lai.

In an increasingly uncertain world, the UAE continues to attract investments and provide opportunities for long-term growth. It is not just a place to preserve value, but a platform for sustainable expansion.

Aluminium Bahrain, also known as Alba, confirmed early Sunday that its facilities were targeted in an Iranian attack a day earlier, Bahrain’s state news agency reported.

Alba said two people were mildly injured in the attack, adding that it was assessing damage in the facilities.

The confirmation comes after Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said they targeted Alba and Emirates Global Aluminium in response to attacks on two Iranian steel plants.

Read more: Emirates Global Aluminium says its KEZAD site damaged amid Iranian attacks

Alba had initiated earlier in March a shutdown of three aluminium smelting lines accounting for 19 per cent of its capacity to preserve business continuity amid ongoing disruption in the Strait of Hormuz. It followed a force majeure by the company on March 4 since it was unable to ship metal to customers due to the closure of the strategic strait.

The closures are the latest impact on the Middle East aluminium sector, which accounts for around 9 per cent ⁠of global supply, from the US-Israeli war on Iran.

Separately, Bahrain’s Foulath Holding, the parent company of Bahrain Steel, declared on Saturday a force majeure on its operations due to the regional conflict and “associated security and logistical disruptions”.

It said the situation in the region has “created circumstances beyond the group’s control that have impacted operations and logistics across parts of the group’s business,” without providing details on the size of the impact.

Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA) said its Al Taweelah site in Khalifa Economic Zone Abu Dhabi (KEZAD) sustained “significant damage” during Iranian missile and drone attacks on Saturday.

The incident comes after missile interceptions over Abu Dhabi resulted in debris falling in the KEZAD area, sparking fires in the industrial zone and causing injuries, according to authorities.

In a statement issued later on Saturday, EGA confirmed that a number of employees were injured in the incident, though none of the injuries are life-threatening.

Read more: Bahrain’s Alba confirms Iranian attack on its aluminium facilities

Separately, the Abu Dhabi Media Office reported that six people were injured. Authorities also successfully contained three fires, according to the Abu Dhabi Media Office.

“The safety and security of our people is our top priority at EGA at all times,” said EGA CEO Abdulnasser Bin Kalban.

“We are deeply saddened and are assessing the damage to our facilities,” he added.

The Al Taweelah complex forms part of EGA’s operations and is one of the largest aluminium production sites globally. The smelter produced 1.6 millions tonnes of cast metal in 2025 and includes an adjacent alumina refinery supplying raw material for production.

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EGA said it had substantial metal stock already on the water when the conflict began, along with inventory held in overseas locations—factors that may help cushion near-term supply disruptions.

The company is the UAE’s largest industrial firm outside oil and gas and the world’s biggest ‘premium aluminium’ producer. It is jointly owned by Mubadala Investment Company and Investment Corporation of Dubai.

Located between Abu Dhabi and Dubai, the Al Taweelah site was the largest single-site aluminium smelter in the world when it was completed.

EGA said damage assessments are ongoing.