Rain, Rain, Go Away...

[samhexum]

Historic thunderstorms that lashed the United Arab Emirates — dumping the heaviest rain ever recorded in the country in just a matter of hours — may have been self-inflicted by a weather modification technique, some meteorologists claim.

As the desert nation attempted to dry out Wednesday from the rare torrential storm that flooded out portions of major highways and Dubai’s international airport, several meteorologists alleged that “cloud seeding” could be to blame.

Cloud seeding, a technique frequently implemented by the UAE government, involves flying small planes through clouds with burning salt flares in a bid to increase rainfall due to the nation’s limited groundwater.

Multiple reports, including Bloomberg, cited meteorologists at the country’s National Center for Meteorology saying the agency had flown six or seven cloud seeding flights in the lead-up to the storm.

A rep for the agency, however, denied any cloud seeding operations had been carried out mid-storm.

“One of the basic principles of cloud seeding is that you have to target clouds in its early stage before it rains,” Omar AlYazeedi, deputy director general of the NCM, said in a statement obtained by CNBC. “If you have a severe thunderstorm situation then it is too late to conduct any seeding operation.”

The agency didn’t immediately respond to The Post’s request for comment on whether any cloud seeding flights were carried out prior to the storm.

The rains began soaking Dubai late Monday with some 0.79 inches of rain, according to meteorological data collected at Dubai International Airport. The storms then intensified Tuesday morning and continued throughout the day, dumping more rain and hail on the overwhelmed city.

By the end of Tuesday, more than 5.59 inches of rainfall had been dumped on Dubai over a 24-hour stretch. An average year sees roughly 3.73 inches of rain at Dubai International Airport – the world’s busiest for international travel.

Scores of flights were halted Tuesday night as water lapped on taxiways and passengers struggled to reach terminals as floodwaters engulfed surrounding roads.

Dubai International Airport acknowledged Wednesday that the flooding had left “limited transportation options” and affected flights as aircraft crews couldn’t reach the airfield.

“Recovery will take some time,” the airport said in a tweet.

Emirates said the airline had halted check-in for passengers departing from Dubai until midnight Wednesday.

Meanwhile, authorities sent tanker trucks out into the streets and highways to try and pump away water.

Schools were shuttered and the government instituted remote work again for Wednesday as communities assessed damaged and cleared debris.

 

[+ WilliamM]

1 hour ago, samhexum said:

Historic thunderstorms that lashed the United Arab Emirates — dumping the heaviest rain ever recorded in the country in just a matter of hours — may have been self-inflicted by a weather modification technique, some meteorologists claim.

As the desert nation attempted to dry out Wednesday from the rare torrential storm that flooded out portions of major highways and Dubai’s international airport, several meteorologists alleged that “cloud seeding” could be to blame.

Cloud seeding, a technique frequently implemented by the UAE government, involves flying small planes through clouds with burning salt flares in a bid to increase rainfall due to the nation’s limited groundwater.

Multiple reports, including Bloomberg, cited meteorologists at the country’s National Center for Meteorology saying the agency had flown six or seven cloud seeding flights in the lead-up to the storm.

A rep for the agency, however, denied any cloud seeding operations had been carried out mid-storm.

“One of the basic principles of cloud seeding is that you have to target clouds in its early stage before it rains,” Omar AlYazeedi, deputy director general of the NCM, said in a statement obtained by CNBC. “If you have a severe thunderstorm situation then it is too late to conduct any seeding operation.”

The agency didn’t immediately respond to The Post’s request for comment on whether any cloud seeding flights were carried out prior to the storm.

The rains began soaking Dubai late Monday with some 0.79 inches of rain, according to meteorological data collected at Dubai International Airport. The storms then intensified Tuesday morning and continued throughout the day, dumping more rain and hail on the overwhelmed city.

By the end of Tuesday, more than 5.59 inches of rainfall had been dumped on Dubai over a 24-hour stretch. An average year sees roughly 3.73 inches of rain at Dubai International Airport – the world’s busiest for international travel.

Scores of flights were halted Tuesday night as water lapped on taxiways and passengers struggled to reach terminals as floodwaters engulfed surrounding roads.

Dubai International Airport acknowledged Wednesday that the flooding had left “limited transportation options” and affected flights as aircraft crews couldn’t reach the airfield.

“Recovery will take some time,” the airport said in a tweet.

Emirates said the airline had halted check-in for passengers departing from Dubai until midnight Wednesday.

Meanwhile, authorities sent tanker trucks out into the streets and highways to try and pump away water.

Schools were shuttered and the government instituted remote work again for Wednesday as communities assessed damaged and cleared debris.

 

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