UAE denies cloud seeding contributed to historic flooding in Dubai. But, what is cloud seeding?

When we forecast rain in Southeast Georgia and Northeast Florida, rainfall amounts will vary by location across our large region. We have several waterways that could flood depending on tides, current levels, and terrain. If flooding is a factor, we’re able to alert the community about the “don’ts” when it comes to being out in the torrential downpours and the related hazards, such as not driving through standing water because as little as six inches can be deadly, downed power lines, and evacuating low areas.

When historic rain fell in Dubai, UAE on Tuesday, causing the city to shut down, they were not prepared for this type of weather disaster. Being an arid and hot Middle Eastern country surrounded by sand, rain isn’t in the daily forecast.

In a typical April, the climate of Dubai has highs in the 90s and lows in the 70s with zero days of rain. In fact, the average yearly rainfall in the UAE is approximately five inches, that is less than Jacksonville’s total rainfall of 5.58 inches in May 2023. So, when an area that’s typically dry and sandy receives nearly four inches of rain in 12 hours, and up to 10 inches in 24 hours, which is what happened on Tuesday, chaos will surely ensue.

As CNN reported, the rain fell so heavily and so quickly that some motorists were forced to abandon their vehicles as the water rose and roads turned to rivers. The airport, businesses and school were closed. A reported 18 people, including school-aged children, were killed in Oman due to the extreme conditions.

While rain is rare in Dubai, rainfall mostly occurs during the winter, the end of October through the middle of April, with February being the wettest. Summer begins the last week of April and ends around the first week of October.

Yes, they only have two seasons!

The last time Dubai experienced flooding rains was December 31, 2021, when the city received over three inches of rain over two days. Roadways underwater aren’t uncommon for the UAE when it rains since the country lacks much of the infrastructure for drainage since it only rains a few times per year.

Rain is needed to help water our lawns and plants, necessary to fill our lakes, rivers and oceans, and, the main way, water in the sky comes down to Earth.

In our region, rain is a part of our lives. In Dubai, UAE, rain isn’t a daily, or even a monthly, occurrence. What little rain they get evaporates before it can replenish any streams or ponds on the surface. Groundwater is the main natural water source, according to Fanack Water. However, it’s only 3% fresh and 10-14% of total rainfall is used to recharge the groundwater aquifers.

Without natural precipitation to aid in freshwater resources, the UAE has resorted to other alternatives, such as cloud seeding.

Cloud seeding isn’t new technology to help modify weather in drought-ridden climates. However, it is controversial.

Introduced over 60 years ago, the process involves “seeding” clouds with silver-iodide, a reportedly harmless substance. Think of a snowflake and how it’s formed by water droplets that become ice crystals after a small speck of dust or pollen mixes with the water.

In the United States, as recently as 2021, Texas, Utah, Colorado, Nevada, Idaho, New Mexico and California have all used cloud seeding via aircraft and ground-based machines to help alleviate the “megadrought” that has drained the western rivers and lakes. And with temperatures on the rise and snowfall decreasing, researchers are optimistic, but statistics are unclear if the seeding is causing heavier snowfall.

So, is cloud seeding to blame for the flooding in Dubai?

According to CNBC, The National Center of Meteorology, a government taskforce responsible for cloud seeding missions in the United Arab Emirates, denied reports that it carried out the weather modification technique in the run-up to heavy storms across the country, therefore exacerbating flooding in places like Dubai.

The organization told CNBC that it did not dispatch pilots for seeding operations before or during the storm that struck the UAE on Tuesday.

Scientists have noted that as climate change continues to warm our atmosphere, heavier rain will become more frequent.