A rainy winter, thunderstorms in April and rain even in August are unprecedented in a country like the United Arab Emirates and have led some to suspect the weather is artificial. Such reports appear to be confirmed by surveys revealing that rains are increasing in the UAE due to experiments of 'cloud seeding', a form of intentional weather change to induce rain, conducted by the National centre of meteorology and seismology (NCMS).

 

Cloud seeding is a procedure carried out through particles of salt or dry ice fired into clouds through dispersion devices built into plane wings for this purpose.

 

The particles, which are particularly cold, remain stable until condense drops cover them; then, the excessive weight leads to rain, generally within an hour.

 

The process, experts say, 'creates' rain but doesn't 'favour' it. Clouds are in fact necessary so the process can start.

 

The UAE border with the mountain of Oman in the north, which can provide high clouds, depending on winds. This is why most of the rains are recorded in the northern part of the country - Ras al Khaimah, Umm al Qwain, Sharja until Dubai.

 

Salts used, including potassium chloride and sodium, don't damage the environment, according to scientists at the centre, like silver iodide, another chemical agent used, which is maintained under the threshold believed to pose a danger for the environment. The procedure is quite expensive but its benefits are many, experts said. The UAE, along with other oil monarchies in the Gulf, are arid countries with significant consequences on both food and water security. The UAE are also investing to create agricultural areas in the country and buying land and farming enterprises abroad.