Dubai Weather Chaos: How UAE Generates Artificial Rain, Leading to Dubai Flooding

Cloud seeding has the potential to bring significant benefits, but it has also raised concerns about its impact. In the United Arab Emirates (UAE), where rainfall is scarce and the demand for water is high, the country has pioneered innovative solutions to combat water scarcity. One such solution is cloud seeding, a form of weather modification aimed at enhancing precipitation.

The process of cloud seeding begins with weather forecasters monitoring atmospheric conditions and identifying suitable clouds for seeding based on precipitation patterns. The UAE has collaborated with various scientific institutions to bolster its artificial rain program. The Rain Enhancement Program (UAEREP), managed by the Emirates’ National Centre of Meteorology (NCM), spearheads the program.

Researchers have focused on analyzing the physical and chemical characteristics of the UAE’s atmosphere to identify an effective agent to stimulate cloud growth and augment rainfall. Specialized aircraft equipped with hygroscopic flares are used to disperse salt material components into the target clouds, serving as nuclei around which water droplets condense and eventually grow heavy enough to fall as precipitation in the form of rain. The NCM has established a national network of weather stations, weather radars, and upper air stations to monitor and support the cloud seeding operations.

The UAE’s cloud seeding program refrains from using harmful chemicals and instead employs natural salts as seeding agents. The NCM has also developed its own seeding agent known as nano material, consisting of fine salt coated with titanium oxide, which is undergoing trials to assess its effectiveness in enhancing precipitation. Despite the potential benefits, there have been concerns raised about “tinkering” with nature and the consequences of meddling with the natural order of things, especially in light of exceptional weather conditions such as storms and heavy rainfall causing unprecedented floods.