Historic rains in UAE: Artificial rain or climate at play?

Sofas flying, abandoned vehicles, a flooded airport, thunderstorms, and rain! Does it sound like a movie scene? Unfortunately, it was a reality for the citizens of UAE as they witnessed their most historic rainfall ever! Since yesterday pictures and videos of the flooding incident in Dubai have been circulating on the internet like wildfires.

This news also fueled debates on whether this disaster was caused by unwavering climate change or was aggravated by cloud seeding (artificial rain). This unusual weather event is a shocker as the Middle East generally records monsoon conditions during the cold or winter months.

Let's explore the possible reason this weather change occurred this week.

What is artificial rain?

Artificial rain, known as cloud seeding, induces or boosts precipitation. This is mainly used to modify or alter the weather conditions, especially during drought or other events caused by global warming. While the idea sounds futuristic, artificial rain-making experiments date back to the 1940s.

Coming back to this technique, cloud seeding involves a simple process where salts such as silver iodide, potassium iodide, etc are released into target clouds through ground generators or air, that act as catalysts. This causes the water droplets in the cloud to become ice crystals which are quite heavy which is why they come down however while falling they melt causing it to rain.

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Does India have artificial rains?

Unlike many countries, India has not used artificial rain-making techniques on a large scale. While the government experimented with cloud seeding in 2018 and 2019 in Solapur, Maharashtra, the practice was not continued. Previously, it was speculated that the Delhi government was considering using cloud seeding in November last year but it never happened due to unfavourable meteorological conditions.

How has artificial rain helped the UAE?

In 1982, the UAE tested their first cloud seeding. Their artificial program was boosted by NASA, the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) in Colorado, USA and Witwatersrand University in South Africa.

Ever since then, the country has successfully employed cloud seeding that is handled by Emirates' National Centre of Meteorology (NCM) under the UAE's Rain Enhancement Program (UAEREP).

To ensure sustainability UAE utilises natural salts for their program which sets a positive example of finding environmentally friendly solutions amidst climate concerns.

What caused heavy rains in the UAE?

It is assumed that artificial rainmaking may have aggravated the precipitation but it cannot be said that the weather change was due to this reason. Rainfall depends on various factors and while the UAE has seen more than a year and a half of rain in a few hours, the root cause has not yet been pinpointed.

Former chief scientist at the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Ryan Maue believes that artificial rains did not cause the "historic rainfalls". Earlier reports suggested that Dubai flew around 6-7 cloud seeding flights before the rain started but most experts have dismissed cloud seeding as the reason.

The bottom line

Extreme weather changes are now becoming a common event across the globe. The main reason for this global warming has been accelerated industrial evolution. Overall, from scorching heat waves to cyclones and earthquakes, every country is witnessing abrupt climate changes.

While the recent rainfall in UAE may have been unprecedented, it also serves as a reminder of our collective responsibility to protect and preserve our planet. With continued dedication to sustainable practices and global cooperation, we can navigate through the storms towards a brighter, more resilient future for generations to come.