A powerful storm swept through the United Arab Emirates and Oman this week, unleashing unprecedented rainfall that flooded roads, submerged homes, caused traffic chaos, and left residents stranded.
Oman bore the brunt of the deluge, with at least 20 reported fatalities, while the UAE also experienced casualties, with one fatality reported. The torrential downpour prompted the closure of government offices and schools in the UAE for several days, disrupting daily life.
The storm initially struck Oman on Sunday before unleashing its fury on the UAE on Tuesday, causing power outages and wreaking havoc on air travel as airport runways were transformed into waterways. 
In Al Ain, a city bordering Oman, a staggering 254 millimeters of rain was recorded within a 24-hour period, marking the highest rainfall volume since records began in 1949.
Amid the aftermath of the storm, questions arose about whether cloud seeding, a technique frequently employed by the UAE to enhance rainfall, could have triggered the heavy precipitation. Cloud seeding involves introducing chemicals into clouds to stimulate rainfall, particularly in regions grappling with water scarcity. However, the UAE’s meteorology agency denied conducting any cloud seeding operations prior to the storm.
Instead, experts attribute the unprecedented rainfall to a combination of normal weather patterns exacerbated by climate change. A low-pressure system in the upper atmosphere, coupled with surface-level low pressure, created a pressure imbalance that intensified the thunderstorm conditions. Climate scientists note that rising global temperatures, driven by human-induced climate change, contribute to more frequent and intense weather events, including heavy rainfall.
Contrary to popular belief, cloud seeding cannot generate clouds out of thin air. It merely accelerates the condensation process of existing moisture in the atmosphere. The exceptionally warm sea temperatures surrounding Dubai, coupled with elevated atmospheric temperatures, enhance evaporation rates and the atmosphere’s moisture-holding capacity, resulting in heavier rainfall events.
As the climate continues to warm, experts warn that extreme rainfall events, such as those witnessed in the UAE and Oman, are likely to become more frequent and severe, underscoring the urgent need for climate action.
