“Apocalypse” images in Dubai after the historic storm throw possible scenarios and even conspiracy theories on the table.
Are roads turned into rivers and runways that look like lakes finally a sign of climate change or something caused by the human hand?
For decades the United Arab Emirates has been trying to create artificial rain. “Cloud seeding”, as it is called, is a technique that helps areas with severe drought to cope with water shortages.
“It all starts inside the National Weather Center where a team is constantly monitoring the forecast looking for potential seed clouds. The functions only work with cumulus clouds, which have a vertical shape.’
So they spot clouds that could possibly produce rain and with a spray technique produce more rain than predicted.
“These are the flares we’re going to use when we’re above the cloud and we need to get the flare down into the cloud. When we are in the cloud we will use the flare that can be lit from the cockpit. Burn for four to four and a half minutes and they simply smoke with the silver iodide,” it is described.
The artificial rains
Christina Rigou, MEGA meteorologist noted: “It is a fact that the Emirates use artificial rain practices in order to replenish the hydrological landscape of the region. Rainfall is minimal in the area and by releasing electrical charges in the clouds to create moisture, they manage to create water and these droplets adhere to each other.”
Scientists reply that “cloud seeding” is impossible to cause such a deluge and that the factors under consideration are other.
“Dust in the upper atmosphere may have formed as condensation nuclei and resulted in the creation by nature of the artificial rain that man is trying to make,” said Christina Rigou.
Experts from the other side say that the climate change that the entire planet is now facing is solely responsible.
“We cannot forget that there is a possibility that this extreme rainfall was an effect of climate change,” pointed out Christina Rigou.
The rather high temperatures in the region contributed to the historic bad weather and it is not excluded that from now on Dubai will be faced with this kind of bad weather more often.
