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Every time it rains in the UAE, you can bet someone will mention cloud seeding, as if it’s a game of scientific Cluedo—Colonel Rain Mac, in the twin-prop, with a sackful of silver iodide. While it’s true that cloud seeding missions are regularly conducted in this precipitation-scarce, sunshine-abundant region, how often does it actually happen? Does it make a significant impact? What exactly are clouds seeded with, and where does it all take place? And what does the future hold for cloud seeding in the UAE?
To get the answers, we spoke to Mr. Omar Alyazeedi, Deputy Director of the National Center of Meteorology (NCM), who shed light on the UAE’s innovative approach to “making it rain.” Here are 10 fascinating facts about cloud seeding in the UAE…
How many cloud-seeding missions does the UAE fly each year?
The UAE conducts nearly 300 cloud seeding missions each year as part of its ongoing efforts to boost rainfall and tackle the region’s water scarcity challenges.
Are there specific types of clouds that respond best to cloud seeding, if so what do they look like and where can they most often be found?
While not all types of clouds respond equally to cloud seeding, cumuliform clouds such as cumulus clouds with a heaped shape and strong updraft at their bases are generally considered the most responsive to cloud seeding efforts.
How much rainfall a year can be attributed to cloud seeding in the UAE?
The UAE, with its arid climate and less than 100mm of rainfall per year, faces significant challenges in water management. However, cloud seeding has proven to be a promising solution. A statistical randomisation experiment conducted during the summers of 2004 and 2005 demonstrated that cloud seeding can enhance precipitation by 15% in a turbid atmosphere (one with more pollutants or particles). In a cleaner atmosphere, this enhancement ratio could potentially rise to 25%, making cloud seeding an effective tool to boost rainfall in the region.
Are there seasonal patterns to the UAE’s cloud seeding trips?
Originally focused on summertime convection in the northeastern Hajar Mountains, the UAE’s cloud seeding operations have grown significantly over the years. Since 2006, these operations have expanded to target suitable cloud candidates year-round across the entire country. This broadening of efforts ensures that the UAE can maximize its chances of enhancing precipitation, regardless of seasonal variations, helping to address the country’s water scarcity issues more effectively.
What are the materials that are used and how do they work?
The UAE employs environmentally friendly hygroscopic materials in its cloud seeding efforts, typically using natural salts like potassium chloride and sodium chloride in flares. These materials help attract moisture in the clouds, facilitating the formation of raindrops.
Recently, the UAE has also started utilizing novel nanomaterials, which are both hygroscopic (able to absorb water) and hydrophilic (attracted to water). These advanced materials have shown greater efficiency than traditional salts in enhancing precipitation. By improving the ability of cloud particles to attract and retain moisture, these innovative materials are helping to increase the effectiveness of cloud seeding operations in the UAE.
Do the seeding mission pilots have any special rituals or names for their aircraft?
The UAE utilizes four specialized Beechcraft King Air aircraft for its cloud seeding operations. These aircraft are equipped with the latest technology to carry out the seeding missions with precision. The operations are conducted by a highly skilled team, consisting of nine pilots along with a dedicated scientific and technical crew, many of whom are UAE nationals. This expert team ensures that the cloud seeding processes are executed efficiently, contributing to the country’s efforts to enhance rainfall and address water scarcity challenges.
How important is the role of cloud seeding in the UAE’s water security efforts?
The UAE views water security as a critical aspect of its national security. In response to the challenges posed by its arid climate, the country has turned to innovative solutions like cloud seeding to help secure and sustain its water resources. Through this technology, the UAE not only enhances its own water supply but also contributes to global water security, offering potential solutions for other arid regions around the world facing similar challenges. By ensuring the sustainability of water resources, cloud seeding plays a key role in the UAE’s long-term strategy to safeguard its future and support environmental resilience.
Is the UAE a world leader in this field, what tech/practices have been conceived/pioneered here?
The UAE has established itself as a global leader in cutting-edge rain enhancement research, largely due to the efforts of the National Centre of Meteorology (NCM) and its pioneering UAE Research Program for Rain Enhancement Science (UAEREP). Since its launch, UAEREP has driven innovation in rain enhancement technologies, specifically aimed at stimulating rainfall in arid regions like the UAE.
The program explores a wide range of advanced research methods, including:
- Nanotechnology to improve the efficiency of cloud seeding.
- Algorithm-based data processing for better prediction and optimization of rain enhancement efforts.
- Convergence zone studies to identify the most promising areas for seeding.
- Ice nucleation techniques to encourage precipitation in cooler clouds.
- Optimization of aerosol seeding for more effective rain induction.
- Cloud electrical properties analysis to understand how to manipulate clouds for rain production.
- Artificial cloud creation to induce rainfall in regions lacking natural cloud cover.
- Targeted observation and seeding using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to improve precision.
- Advanced experimental-numerical approaches that combine data modeling and practical testing for more effective rain enhancement.
Through these innovative approaches, the UAE is not only addressing its own water security needs but also contributing to global advancements in sustainable water solutions for arid regions.
When did cloud seeding start in the UAE, what have we learned since then?
The first attempt at cloud seeding in the UAE took place in February 1982 over a specific area to the west of the country, managed by the Abu Dhabi Municipality. At that time, several experiments were conducted, but they lacked the scientific foundation and rigorous methodologies that would later characterize modern cloud seeding efforts. These early experiments marked the beginning of the UAE’s journey into rain enhancement, which has since evolved into a highly sophisticated and research-driven initiative.
The UAE’s cloud-seeding program officially began in the late 1990s. By early 2001, the program had already established partnerships with renowned organizations such as the National Centre for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) in Colorado, USA, Witwatersrand University in South Africa, and the US Space Agency (NASA). These collaborations helped to enhance the scientific basis of cloud seeding efforts in the UAE.
In 2005, the UAE worked alongside these international research teams to deepen their understanding of the chemical and physical properties of clouds that were most suitable for seeding. The research findings pointed to hygroscopic seeding agents—materials that attract moisture—as having the greatest potential to enhance rainfall in the UAE. This discovery significantly influenced the UAE’s cloud-seeding strategies, contributing to more effective and targeted rain enhancement efforts in the region.
The UAE initially launched the ‘UAE Prize for Excellence in Advancing the Science and Practice of Weather Modification’ in collaboration with the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) to recognize significant contributions to weather modification science. This initiative was later evolved and expanded with the creation of the UAE Research Program for Rain Enhancement Science (UAEREP) in 2015.
Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister, and Minister of Presidential Court, UAEREP was established to promote scientific research and the development of innovative technologies in rain enhancement. The program aims to push the boundaries of weather modification and provide solutions to global water scarcity challenges, reinforcing the UAE’s commitment to scientific advancement and environmental sustainability.
What is the future for cloud seeding here?
The UAE has been proactively pursuing cloud seeding as a key strategy to enhance its water resources and address the growing issue of water scarcity in the region. As part of this ongoing effort, the country offers managed grant assistance to select research teams that present innovative ideas and project proposals aligned with the targeted research areas for each program cycle.
Through this approach, the UAE aims to continually invest in cloud seeding technology and research, encouraging the stimulus of scientific advancement and the development of new technologies in the field. This investment not only helps the UAE tackle its own water challenges but also contributes to global efforts to address water scarcity in arid regions.
