The warning came hours after rainfall in the Emirati city caused flooding in streets.

"For your safety, please remain cautious as unstable weather conditions are expected in the coming hours, and avoid going out unless it is absolutely necessary until midday on Friday," said a police alert sent to residents' phones.

The National Center of Meteorology (NCM) in the United Arab Emirates warned of rainfall across the country from Thursday to Friday, including in Dubai and the capital Abu Dhabi.

Other Gulf states also experienced heavy rain on Thursday, including Saudi Arabia and Qatar where the downpour caused an Arab Cup match to be cancelled.

Last year in April, record rains lashed the UAE, flooding homes and transforming streets into rivers.

The downpour, worsened by a lack of storm drains, hobbled Dubai airport, the world's busiest hub for international passengers.

The UAE's heaviest since records began 76 years ago, the stormy weather killed at least four people, including three Filipino workers and one Emirati.

A study published by the World Weather Attribution (WWA) group found that global warming caused by fossil fuel emissions "most likely" exacerbated the intense rains that lashed the UAE and Oman last year.