Dubai was struck by an extraordinary weather event this past Tuesday, as thunderstorms brought unprecedented rainfall to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), leading to severe flooding and major disruptions.
Dubai weather: Historic storm rages across UAE
On Tuesday, Dubai encountered severe thunderstorms that resulted in the highest rainfall ever recorded in the region.
Streets and highways, including the area around DXB, the world’s busiest international flight hub, were submerged. Emirates Airlines has since issued a warning, advising against travelling to the airport “unless absolutely necessary.”
“Passengers arriving in Dubai and already in transit will continue to be processed for their flights. Customers can expect delays to departures and arrivals, and are advised to check the latest flight schedules,” the airline said.
The storm, which lasted throughout the day, has been described as historic due to its intensity and the volume of rain it brought to the typically dry region.
The storm began late on Monday with meteorologists recording initial rainfall of about 20 millimetres (0.79 inches).
By Tuesday morning, the situation escalated dramatically, with additional rain and hail pushing the total to 142 millimetres (5.59 inches) over 24 hours.
This figure starkly contrasts with Dubai’s average annual rainfall of 94.7 millimetres (3.73 inches) and highlights the unusual nature of the storm.
The UAE rarely experiences such intense weather, which is typically limited to the cooler winter months.
The city’s infrastructure, including its underdeveloped drainage systems, struggled with the sudden deluge, resulting in extensive flooding and significant disruptions to daily life.
Does Dubai use cloud seedings to control weather?
Dubai employs weather modification techniques, notably cloud seeding, to manage and potentially increase its precipitation levels.
This process involves the dispersal of substances like silver iodide or salt into clouds. As more and more droplets join together, they eventually become heavy enough to fall as rain or hail.
These particles act as a nucleus around which moisture condenses, facilitating the formation of raindrops when these ‘seeded’ clouds reach saturation.
This method aims to address water scarcity and manage temperature, especially given Dubai’s arid climate and low annual rainfall.
Despite these efforts, the infrastructure remains challenged by sudden and extreme weather events, which can overwhelm the existing systems designed for significantly lower average precipitation levels.
Can the historic Dubai storm be attributed to the effects of cloud seeding?
While cloud seeding is actively used in Dubai to artificially increase rainfall, directly linking this particular storm to cloud seeding activities without specific evidence would be speculative.
Cloud seeding can enhance rainfall in certain conditions, but attributing a specific weather event like this storm to such activities requires detailed meteorological data and analysis.
Typically, for cloud seeding to be considered the cause, there would need to be records of seeding activities coinciding with the weather patterns observed, which has not been confirmed in this instance.
The intensity and impact of the storm suggest that a combination of natural meteorological factors likely played a significant role.