People were shivering due to the cold Monday evening across the emirates as Shamal winds, gusting in some areas, forced the mercury to drop to uncomfortable levels. North-westerly winds have been sweeping through the country under the influence of a low pressure formed over Iran. “We had warned people of temperature drop,” said a forecaster, advising people to wear warm clothes before setting out at night. Winds were also very high in internal areas, reaching to 65km/h at some places. The National Centre of Meteorology and Seismology (NCMS) has warned motorists to be alert on highways and roads passing through desert area. Strong winds have been kicking off dust and sand in the internal areas, affecting horizontal visibility. People living in the coastal areas have been facing more uncomfortable, windy and cooler, conditions. Most of them have been sheltering from the cold indoors. Forecasters said the weather will be pleasant but windy on Tuesday during the day. The sea was very rough with several meters high waves both in the Arabian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, he said. “The conditions are dangerous out there for small boats,” said the forecasters.