Dubai’s Deluge: Climate Change and Cloud Seeding Unravel the Mystery

Warnings were issued by the UAE government in anticipation of heavy rains, advising people to remain indoors and venture out only if absolutely necessary. The downpour on Tuesday brought Dubai, typically a desert city, to a standstill, causing flooding on major highways and even at the international airport. Operations at Dubai Airport had to be suspended for 25 minutes due to the inundation, with visuals on social media showing planes navigating through flooded runways.

According to meteorological data collected at Dubai International Airport, the city experienced rainfall equivalent to a year and a half’s worth within just 24 hours. The rains commenced late Monday, saturating the sandy terrain and roads with around 20 millimeters, and intensified on Tuesday, resulting in over 142 millimeters of rainfall by day’s end. This amount far exceeded the average annual precipitation of 94.7 millimeters at Dubai International Airport. Responding to the situation, the UAE government not only reiterated its earlier warnings but also announced remote work for all federal employees until Wednesday.

What led to the intense rainfall in Dubai?

CNN reported that the deluge submerging Dubai is linked to a larger storm system moving through the Arabian Peninsula and crossing the Gulf of Oman. This system is also causing unusually wet conditions in neighboring Oman and southeastern Iran, where at least 18 people have lost their lives due to flooding.

Friederike Otto, a leading expert in assessing the impact of climate change on extreme weather events, pointed out that global warming likely intensified the unprecedented rainfall. Otto, from the Grantham Institute for Climate Change at Imperial College London, stated to AFP, “It is highly probable that human-induced climate change contributed to the heavier rainfall, which resulted in fatalities and destruction in Oman and Dubai.”

On another front, Bloomberg disclosed that the heavy rains were partially the result of cloud seeding. The UAE initiated cloud seeding operations in 2002 to address water security concerns. This technique involves introducing chemicals and minute particles—often natural salts like potassium chloride—into the atmosphere to stimulate more precipitation from clouds.

Ahmed Habib, a specialist meteorologist, informed Bloomberg that seeding aircraft conducted seven missions over the past two days. “We conduct the operation for any suitable cloud over the UAE,” he explained.