Dubai Beats the Heat With Rain – Except It Wasn't Real

UAE's National Center of Meteorology created rain using cloud seeding technology as temperature soared above 50°C.

The enhanced rain is created using drone technology known as cloud seeding.

(Photo: Altered by The Quint)

After Dubai's temperature surpassed 50 degrees celsius, the United Arab Emirates's National Center of Meteorology (NCM) came up with a solution to beat the heat – using drones to coerce clouds into raining.

The NCM created rain using drone technology, also known as cloud seeding.

The official Twitter handle of the National Center of Meteorology shared a video of the downpour.

According to NCM, during summer, Dubai experiences low pressure due to monsoon in India, which raises the temperatures, especially in the Eastern parts, with chances of rainy convective clouds.

What is Cloudseeding?

Cloud seeding is a method of inducing a cloud to produce rain. This technology was introduced in the UAE in the late 1990s.

It should be noted that cloud seeding involves flying an aircraft to a cloud that has tiny rain droplets present. The aircraft then shoots salt flares into the cloud to initiate rainfall.

Using Drones to Induce Rains

After the experts identify the cumulus clouds – puffy clouds that sometimes look like pieces of floating cotton with the best rain potential – a drone is then sent to cumulus clouds which sprays water into warm clouds, and drops ice into cold ones.

Drones are then sent over the cloud to spray particles of salts like silver iodide and chloride on clouds.

These salt particles act as a core and draws water vapour into the clouds which is then condensed into water droplets, as a result of which raindrops are formed.

To put it simply, here's how Dubai used drones to induce artificial rain:

• Experts identified clouds that can hold rain

• Water was dropped into warm clouds and ice into cold ones

• Using a drone, silver iodide or similar crystals were poured into a cumulus cloud

• The clouds busted and it started pouring heavily.

The cloud seeding project by Dubai began in July 2010 and is worth a whopping US$11 million.

Experts suggest that the recent rainfall program could have cost Dubai $27 to $427 per acre-foot. This artificial rainfall might have cost Dubai Rs 4.15 crore.

Impact of Cloud Seeding

Despite the increasing popularity of cloud seeding, the success of the technology are still long debated by scientists.

A recent attempt by Sri Lanka to induce rain amid a prolonged drought failed miserably.

While researchers argue that cloud seeding can create rain and save dry places from drought, several other experts believe that the chemicals used to induce such rains can harm the environment especially plants and animals.

Does Cloud Seeding Prevent Global Warming or Worsen It?

While cloud seeding has several applications, experts also call cloud seeding a controversial method for many reasons.

The primary function of the cloud is to cool the planet by reflecting the sunlight out into space. However, as the temperature of earth rises, clouds are melted into thin air. Using the cloud seeding technique means melting the clouds, which could result in greater climate change.

Silver iodide, the chemical used in cloud seeding, is toxic to aquatic life. So precipitation from seeded clouds can harm the environment.

There are several questions that still remain unanswered: Can cloud seeding cause too much rainfall and cause flooding? Will rain in one area bring drought to another?

A report by LetsTalkScience reveals that in 1972, a flash flood devastated Rapid City, South Dakota. People there suspected that nearby cloud seeding operations might have been a factor. It should be noted that there is no proof that cloud seeding was to blame.

Weather modification techniques have also been used as weapons. For example, during the Vietnam War, the United States ran Operation Popeye. It used weather modification technology to extend the monsoon season in Vietnam.

Scientists are divided when it comes to cloud seeding. Some scientists argue that it might bring unprecedented dangers to the planet while others think that cloud seeding is the only solution to prevent global warming.