Let it rain! All about cloud seeding in the UAE

• What is Cloud Seeding?
• Cloud Seeding in the UAE
• The Process
• FAQs

Weather modification sounds like something from the future, but cloud seeding in the UAE has been used since the 1990s to meet the increased demand for freshwater. If you are wondering how the process works, here’s everything you need to know.

WHAT IS CLOUD SEEDING?

Cloud seeding is a technique for enhancing clouds by introducing condensation nuclei. This creates an ideal atmosphere, thereby improving rain yield. Cloud seeding is not the same as “creating” or “making” rain. The process engineers heavy clouds to expedite the condensation and enhance rainfall. According to the World Meteorological Organisation, 56 countries employ cloud-seeding technology to combat droughts and extreme weather.

CLOUD SEEDING IN THE UAE

Cloud seeding in the UAE is not a new phenomenon. The initiative has been operational for over two decades now.

Water scarcity is one of the major global challenges, and this water shortage is expected to be worse in arid countries like the UAE. Because the region typically receives an estimated 120 mm of annual rainfall, sometimes even less, the UAE cloud seeding initiative is part of the government’s efforts to address the country’s current and future water needs for its growing population.

The first UAE rain enhancement program began in 1990 with the help of NASA, the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) and other global institutions. Later, the government decided to expand this initiative by formally launching the UAE Research Program for Rain Enhancement Science (UAEREP) in 2015. Multi-million-dollar grants were offered to international scientists to develop the best cloud-seeding technology in the UAE to support a sustainable water supply.

Of course, there are other ways to secure tangible water sources, desalination plants being the most viable ones for the UAE. However, when comparing the costs, cloud seeding in the UAE is about 60% less costly.

Cloud seeding in the UAE has been quite effective. In 2022, 311 cloud-seeding missions were conducted, totalling nearly 1,000 flying hours. The momentum has only increased, as 185 cloud seeding sessions were reported by July 2025. 80 cloud seeding missions have already been reported by the National Centre of Meteorology in the UAE since the start of 2026. These statistics demonstrate the significance and advantages of artificial rain in the UAE.

HOW CLOUD SEEDING WORKS IN THE UAE?

The UAE has always been a nation with a keen eye on the future. It was one of the first countries in the Middle East to adopt cloud seeding technology to increase its existing water sources. The country uses the latest available technologies, paired with sophisticated radars, to monitor the atmosphere and related changes at all times.

If you’re wondering how cloud seeding is done, there are three different methods.

CLOUD SEEDING VIA AIR

Employing an aircraft to drop condensation nuclei is the most frequently used cloud seeding method in the UAE. The National Centre of Meteorology (NCM) targets the dense clouds moving over the Arabian Gulf to increase rainfall yield by at least 15%.

The condensation nuclei contain salts, mainly magnesium, potassium chloride and sodium chloride fitted into flares loaded on the aeroplane. These flares are released into cumulus cloud formations, where they accelerate condensation, forming water droplets heavy enough to produce rainfall.

Clouds have two masses of air – an upper draft and a lower draft. The flares are dropped into the upper draft that sucks them in as they burn the salt particles. The burnt salt particles attach to moisture droplets already present in the clouds, resulting in larger, heavier rain droplets through condensation. The salt crystal flares then encourage the formation and release of cloud moisture, which then turns into precipitation.

It has been reported that the NCM operates 4 cloud-seeding aircraft in the UAE and 12 pilots. Al Ain Airport is the base of these planes as it is located close to the mountains. Once cumulus cloud formations are detected, the planes take off to begin cloud seeding.

Scientists have also tested a new cloud seeding method involving drones. These machines zap clouds with electricity, leading to droplets clumping together. Hence, larger droplets fall to the ground rather than evaporate midway. It is believed that the drone method will eventually replace the aircraft method.

CLOUD SEEDING FROM LAND

The second method of cloud seeding is the weather modification system. This system involves ground generators – currently placed in the mountainous terrains of Hafeet and Fujairah. These generators shoot salt flares into the clouds from the ground, rather than dropping them from a plane, to increase rainfall.

THE CLOUD SEEDING NANO-TECHNOLOGY

Given the overall impact of cloud seeding, the country is continually seeking new, efficient technologies to induce rain. Lately, the NCM has been experimenting with a new cloud-seeding method that involves nanotechnology. 

This cloud-seeding technology uses salt crystals enclosed in titanium dioxide nanoparticle veneers instead of flares. These crystals are then injected into existing clouds to make rain particles denser and more likely to fall as rain.

FAQs

Why does the UAE use cloud seeding?

According to the National Centre of Meteorology, the chances of rain increase by 30 per cent in a clean atmosphere and by 15 per cent in a dusty atmosphere. However, this is not a definitive answer, and research continues to answer this question.

Furthermore, as technology advances, the effectiveness of cloud seeding is expected to increase.

Is cloud seeding safe for the environment?

Thanks to cloud seeding, rainfall is now a recurring phenomenon in Dubai and other parts of the UAE. Sometimes heavy rainfall can cause minor inconveniences in everyday life. Here’s how to deal with the rain to keep yourself and those around you safe.

Which organisation manages cloud seeding in the UAE?

Cloud seeding in the UAE is managed by the National Centre of Meteorology (NCM), which is based in Abu Dhabi.

Does the UAE use drones for cloud seeding?

Yes, the UAE uses UAV drones to zap clouds with electricity to generate artificial rain.

That’s all we have for you on cloud seeding. Artificial rain in the UAE has helped the country battle extreme temperatures and create favourable environmental conditions. Plus, there is more water for crops, recharging of wells and an increase in the general supply of water. Another significant advantage is cheaper desalination.

The UAE’s farsightedness is not limited to creating alternative water sources for its people. The country is determined to excel in economic and social standards to become one of the best places to live on Earth.

For more interesting news and updates on the UAE, stay tuned to MyBayut.