Picture for illustrative purposes only. ARCHIVE

Expect Rainy September as UAE Begins Cloud Seeding Experiments

Residents in the UAE can expect increased rainfall in September after the National Center of Meteorology (NCM) announced it will begin cloud seeding experiments next week. According to the UAE Research Program for Rain Enhancement Science (UAEREP), the NCM's cloud seeding campaign will continue until the end of September and start from Al Ain International Airport. The test flights will also cover other emirates and parts of Oman. UAEREP said that the experiments in collaboration with US climate research company SPEC Incorporated is an “innovation for rainfall enhancement experiments to elevate the UAE’s water resources”. According to UAEREP, researchers and pilots will cross-examine the performance of different cloud seeding technologies with and without electric charge. Data will be collected using advanced technology and sensors installed on NCM's cloud-seeding aircraft, the SPEC Learjet. Since June, the NCM has conducted at least 22 cloud seeding missions to boost rainfall in the country. Dr. Abdulla Al Mandous, President of the World Meteorological Organization, said NCM is committed to “development of new technologies that increase rainfall for the benefit of future generations at risk of water shortage.” During cloud seeding, a special aircraft shoots salt flares or other ice-like particles on convective clouds to enhance rainfall. By adding salt flares on clouds, the cloud's structure then changes to increase the chance of precipitation, allowing condensed water vapor droplets to group together until they are large enough to fall as rain. ICA/Expat Media
For all the latest news from the UAE and the world, follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and subscribe to our YouTube page