Dubai, UAE – The National Centre of Meteorology (NCM) has revealed that it has carried out 172 cloud-seeding flights so far in 2025. This ambitious program is part of the UAE’s ongoing efforts to increase rainfall by 10 to 25 percent, based on scientific studies approved in recent years.
The initiative comes at a time when rainfall levels in the country have dropped sharply, making rain enhancement technology more important than ever for water security.
How the UAE’s Cloud-Seeding Program Works
Cloud seeding is a weather modification process where aircraft release substances into clouds to encourage more rain. The NCM explained that their current techniques include:
- Specialized aircraft fitted with equipment to disperse materials into clouds.
- Advanced seeding agents made from natural salts and innovative nanomaterials to trigger raindrop formation.
- Charge emitters that send small electrical charges into clouds, stimulating precipitation.
The UAE is also expanding research into modern methods such as:
- Using electric charging to enhance rainfall.
- Running advanced computer models to simulate the chemical, physical, and electrical processes inside clouds with high accuracy.
Innovative Experiments in Weather Control
In addition to traditional seeding, the NCM has experimented with:
- Vertical air currents created using jet engines to boost cloud growth.
- Laser technology to stimulate cloud formation.
- Artificial intelligence (AI) tools that automatically analyze cloud conditions in real time, deciding the best moments for seeding.
- Satellite and radar systems capable of predicting cloud behavior up to six hours in advance.
Rainfall Patterns Show Big Changes
The NCM’s data shows that the 2025 winter season (December 2024 to March 2025) recorded only 4.3 millimeters of rainfall nationwide — a huge drop from the 48.7 millimeters in the previous winter.
Key rainfall facts for 2025:
- Wettest day: January 14, with 20.1 mm of rain on Jebel Jais.
- Wettest month: January, with a total of 21.4 mm on Jebel Jais.
In contrast, 2024’s winter season was far wetter:
- Wettest day: February 12, with 167.1 mm of rain at UAE University in Al Ain.
- Wettest month: February, with 227.9 mm in Umm Al Ghaf.
Why Rainfall Has Dropped in 2025
The NCM says that the decline in rainfall is linked to changes in regional pressure systems over the past two years, partly influenced by the La Niña climate phenomenon.
La Niña has deepened subtropical high-pressure systems over the Arabian Peninsula, which blocks rain-bearing low-pressure systems from moving in. This, combined with unusual atmospheric circulation patterns, has led to fewer rain clouds and reduced precipitation in 2025.
Why Cloud Seeding Matters for the UAE
Even though this season hasn’t broken rainfall records, the NCM emphasized that rain enhancement is vital for the country’s:
- Water reservoirs and groundwater replenishment.
- Long-term water security goals in line with the UAE’s sustainability plans.
- Agricultural development and environmental stability.
This Daily news highlight underlines how the UAE is using science and innovation to adapt to climate challenges and secure its future water supply.
