Cloud seeding almost certainly did not play a significant role in the flooding on the Arabian peninsula this week – but the heavy rains may have been exacerbated by climate change
By James Dinneen
17 April 2024
A driver abandons his vehicle following a rainstorm in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on 17 April
Christopher Pike/Bloomberg/Getty
Record rainfall hit the Arabian peninsula this week, causing flooding in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, as well as other coastal cities in the United Arab Emirates. The extreme weather prompted speculation on social media about whether the UAE’s longstanding cloud-seeding programme played a role. But cloud seeding almost certainly didn’t have any significant hand in the flooding.
How unusual was the recent rain in the Arabian peninsula?
In the UAE, it was the most extreme such event since records began in 1949, according to the state-run Emirates News Agency. Between 15 and 16 April, several parts of the country saw more rain in 24 hours than normally falls in an entire year. Heavy rains are unusual for the desert region, although not unheard of – the UAE saw heavy rain and flooding in 2016, for instance.
Drainage systems in the UAE’s coastal cities were overwhelmed by runoff, which led to flooding. Dramatic images of planes taxiing through standing water at the Dubai International Airport were shared widely online.
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In the neighbouring country of Oman, flash floods killed at least 18 people. Bahrain, Qatar and part of Saudi Arabia also saw unusual rain.
What is cloud seeding and did it play a role in the extreme rain?
Cloud seeding is a method of increasing precipitation that has been around since the 1940s. It involves spraying a powder, such as silver iodide, into clouds from planes or rockets, or by burning them from ground-based stations. Droplets of supercooled water can form around these particles, which then fall to the ground as rain or snow.
The UAE has maintained one of the world’s most extensive cloud seeding programmes since 2002. In an effort to increase freshwater resources in the arid region, planes regularly fly cloud-seeding missions.