Notable Events Amidst Historic Rainfall
Stranded airline passengers and a cat clinging to a car door handle in floodwaters characterized the unusual scenes in Dubai as the city faced record-breaking levels of rain.
Debate Over Cloud Seeding
Cloud seeding, a technique utilized in the UAE to enhance precipitation, came under scrutiny as a possible cause of the deluge. Climate scientist Daniel Swain emphasized the need to distinguish between factors such as greenhouse warming and cloud seeding in understanding extreme weather events.
Understanding Cloud Seeding
Cloud seeding involves introducing nuclei into clouds to promote precipitation. While the process typically enhances snowfall in some regions, in the Middle East, it is aimed at boosting rainfall.
Weather Experts Weigh In
Meteorologists dismissed cloud seeding as the primary cause of the intense rainfall in Dubai. Instead, they attributed the event to climate change, citing rising global temperatures leading to more evaporation and severe storms.
Impact of the Flooding
Dubai experienced over 5.59 inches of rain in 24 hours, exceeding the city’s annual average. The downpour overwhelmed infrastructure, causing disruptions at Dubai International Airport and highlighting the city’s vulnerability to extreme weather events.
The Effectiveness of Cloud Seeding
Studies have shown varying effectiveness of cloud seeding projects, with some regions experiencing snowpack increases. The UAE’s Rain Enhancement Science Program aims to explore cloud seeding as a cost-effective solution to water scarcity issues in arid regions worldwide.