Cloud seeding explained, and why experts say it isn’t to blame for Dubai rainfall

Torrential downpours led to shocking scenes across the UAE after a year's worth of rain flooded parts of the desert nationhas caused damage to homes and businesses and prompted hundreds of flights to be cancelled at one of the world’s busiest airports. At least one person died after parts of the desert nation saw record rainfall on Tuesday, reportedly a year’s worth of rain in one day.

But it is unlikely that cloud seeding had caused the heavy rains, according to Dr Edward Gryspeerdt, research fellow at the Grantham Institute for Climate Change at Imperial College London who specialises in clouds and climate. “These can create large amounts of rain, and when they occur over a wide area and one after another, can lead to seriously heavy downpours,” he said. “They can rapidly lead to surface water floods, as we have seen in places such as Dubai airport.”He, too, believes that cloud seeding was not to blame for the storms. “There is no technology in existence that can create or even severely modify this kind of rainfall event,” he added.

An elderly Emirati man in his seventies died on Tuesday morning when his vehicle was caught in flash floods in Ras al-Khaimah, in the country’s north, Reuters reported, citing local media.Travel disruptions continued on Wednesday, with flag carrier Emirates suspending check-in for passengers departing Dubai airport until midnight.

United Kingdom Latest News, United Kingdom Headlines

Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.

Did controversial ‘cloud seeding’ flights cause torrential downpours and huge flooding in Dubai?Apocalyptic flooding in Dubai which has left thousands stranded may have been induced by cloud seeding operations, analysis shows.
Source: LBCNews - 🏆 75. / 59 Read more »

Travel warning to Brits heading for flood-hit Dubai as passengers told ‘do not go to the airport’...Dubai left UNDERWATER as torrential rain floods city with airport, roads and shopping mall swamped
Source: TheSun - 🏆 64. / 61 Read more »

Storm dumps heaviest rain ever recorded in UAE, flooding roads and Dubai airportBy the end of Tuesday, more than 5.6in (142mm) of rain had soaked Dubai over 24 hours.
Source: Glasgow_Times - 🏆 76. / 59 Read more »

'Carnage' at Dubai airport as UAE hit by 'heaviest rainfall in 75 years'The country has seen over 14cm of rain in a day, about as much as it expects in a year-and-a-half, as rain floods highways and homes, causing schools to stay shut and forcing people to work from home as flights are affected.
Source: SkyNews - 🏆 35. / 67 Read more »

How Cloud Seeding Works and Why It’s Wrongly Blamed for Floods From Dubai to CaliforniaA car is left on a flooded street following heavy rains in Dubai early on April 17, 2024.
Source: TIME - 🏆 93. / 53 Read more »

What is cloud seeding and did it cause the record breaking rains in Dubai?Experts have suggested an unprecedented deluge in Dubai may have been triggeed, at least in part, by 'cloud seeding'.
Source: itvnews - 🏆 69. / 61 Read more »