Dubai Schools Called Off Due to... Flooding?

Update: Ministry of Education cancels school until Sunday!
Update: January 2008 now the wettest on record in the UAE!

Weird week in Dubai. Monday was declared a state/private holiday due to President Bush's visit to town. (see motorcade pictures below) Then it started raining on Monday afternoon and it really hasn't stopped since then. The roads and some neighborhoods are flooding. Some people reported being in traffic for 4 hours from Sharjah trying to get to Dubai... a trip that normally might take an hour.

Now school tomorrow has been canceled (happy kids) due to the flooding and traffic woes related to the rain.

Bush and flooding. The "planets" will never "align" like this again in Dubai. A few pictures below.

Burj Dubai shrouded in fog and clouds.

Sheikh Zayed Road skyline with fog and clouds.

Rare rainy roadway on Beach Road, Dubai.

Yeah, I probably shouldn't have taken this picture while I was moving :(... watery roundabout in Jumeirah.