The rainmaking technology, known as 'cloud seeding', was put into use as summer temperatures surged past 50C in the United Arab Emirates city.
Dubai: Fed up with the scorching heat, Dubai has come up with a unique method to create artificial rain as temperatures surpass 50C. Footage of monsoon-like showers drenching roads and sparking flashes of lightning have gone viral on social media, generating interest among users. Interestingly, the city is now employing drone technology that ‘shocks’ clouds into producing rain. The rainmaking technology, known as ‘cloud seeding’, was put into use as summer temperatures surged past 50C in the United Arab Emirates city.
And the weather manipulating method has largely been a success as cloud seeding contributed to the heavy rainfall seen across the country earlier this month. According to Gulf Today, both the NCM and Abu Dhabi Police issued warnings to the public, urging caution in the wake of poor visibility and driving conditions.
On Sunday, the UAE’s National Meteorological Agency also released a video of the heavy rains.
Watch the video here:
Planning works! #Dubai started to invest $15 million in 2017 in 9 rain making projects. So this is the result of heavy fake rain now in July to beat the heat and replenishing water sources.#climate #water #rain #tech #UAE #MiddleEast #technology pic.twitter.com/pI8geKwedH
— Shahriar Sabet (@shahriarsabet) July 21, 2021
Artificial rain is part of a mission to increase rainfall in the UAE, which will increase the average annual rainfall by four inches. In 2017, UAE invested a whopping $15 million in nine rain-making projects to create artificial rain.
منطقة النصلة #رأس_الخيمة #المركز_الوطني_للأرصاد #أمطار_الخير #أصدقاء_المركز_الوطني_للأرصاد #حالة_الطقس #حالة_جوية #هواة_الطقس #جمعة_القايدي #عواصف_الشمال pic.twitter.com/ZmoveP4OA7
— المركز الوطني للأرصاد (@NCMS_media) July 20, 2021
What is cloud seeding?
According to The Independent, the cloud seeding method relies on drone technology wherein the drones release an electrical charge into clouds, prompting them to coalesce and create rain. The drone system to cause artificial rains is being led by Professor Maarten Ambaum of the University of Reading in England.
“When the drops merge and are big enough, they will fall as rain”, Professor Maarten told the BBC.
The report further says that rainmaking has become common in dry countries such as the UAE, which typically only records 10cm of rain a year. Not just UAE, several U.S. states are aslo looking into cloud seeding as a way to combat severe drought conditions.
