With temperatures reaching up to 50 degrees Celsius during the summer, the UAE faces significant challenges in managing its water resources, especially considering its heavy reliance on groundwater sources.
Recently, Dubai, known for its arid climate and scorching temperatures, experienced unexpected torrential rain, leading to widespread flooding across the country. This event not only disrupted the city’s usual rhythm but also raised concerns about the growing impact of climate change on extreme weather events in the region.
In the UAE, the average annual rainfall is less than 200 millimeters. This, combined with the soaring temperatures, puts immense pressure on the country’s water resources. To address this critical issue, the UAE has taken the lead in implementing innovative solutions, such as cloud seeding to generate artificial rain. But how does this process work?
Exploring the Concept of Cloud Seeding.
Cloud seeding involves introducing “seeding agents” into clouds to stimulate the condensation process and induce rainfall. The National Center for Meteorology (NCM) closely monitors atmospheric conditions and identifies suitable clouds for seeding based on precipitation patterns.
The UAE began testing cloud seeding in 1982 and has since collaborated with renowned institutions like the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) in Colorado, USA, Witwatersrand University in South Africa, and NASA to enhance its artificial rain program. The Rain Enhancement Program (UAEREP), managed by the Emirates’ National Centre of Meteorology (NCM), plays a pivotal role in spearheading these efforts.
Environmental Concerns
Despite the potential advantages of cloud seeding, there have been raised concerns regarding its impact on the environment and the safety of the agents used for seeding. In response to these concerns, the NCM has implemented measures to ensure the safety and sustainability of its operations.
In contrast to cloud seeding programs in other countries that utilize silver iodide, a material that has raised environmental concerns due to its crystal-like nature, the UAE’s program avoids the use of harmful chemicals. Instead, it employs natural salts as seeding agents.
The NCM has developed its own seeding agent called nano material, which consists of fine salt coated with titanium oxide. Currently, this material is undergoing trials and experimentation to evaluate its effectiveness in enhancing precipitation.
There have also been concerns about interfering with nature. With the region experiencing extreme weather conditions such as storms and heavy rainfall, leading to unprecedented floods, some individuals have cautioned against tampering with the natural order of things, arguing that the floods are nature’s way of resisting interference.
