Dubai: Scientists create artificial rain to deal with scorching heat wave

With temperatures in Dubai regularly surpassing 50C, the government has decided to control the scorching weather. To beat the sweltering heat, the UAE’s National Center of Meteorology has come up with a solution that resulted in a monsoon-like downpour on the highways.

Details of the Solution

Scientists have come up with a unique method to create artificial rain to regulate the scorching heat in Dubai. Interestingly, the city is now employing drone technology that ‘shocks’ clouds into producing rain. The innovative tech gives clouds an electric charge that makes them clump together to produce precipitation.

The rainmaking technology, known as ‘cloud seeding’, was used as summer temperatures surged past 50C. The scientists are now making it rain — artificially — to manipulate the weather and force rainfall across the desert nation.

Speaking about the technology, Alya Al-Mazroui, director of the UAE’s rain-enhancement science-research program, said:

Equipped with a payload of electric-charge emission instruments and customized sensors, these drones fly at low altitudes and deliver an electric charge to air molecules, encouraging precipitation.

Videos of Artificial Rain went Viral

Meteorological authorities recently took to social media to upload footage of monsoon-like showers drenching roads and sparking flashes of lightning. The video clips garnered major attention and instantly went viral on social platforms.

UAE’s National Centre of Meteorology also took to Twitter to share the video of rain pouring down on a highway as the cars navigate through it.

Here’s video footage showing an artificial downpour over Ras al Khaimah and several other regions:

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

Weather Solution – A Success

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 media reports, both the NCM and Abu Dhabi Police issued warnings to the public, urging caution in the wake of poor visibility and driving conditions.

Experts believe that the new cloud seeding method shows promise in helping to mitigate drought conditions worldwide as it poses way fewer environmental concerns than previous methods involving salt flares.

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