Heat waves of up to 50 degrees: Dubai wants to generate artificial rain with electric shocks

Since the temperatures in Dubai regularly exceed the 45-degree mark, the government wants to influence the scorching heat itself – with artificial rain.

Dubai / Reading – The heat is currently causing problems for many countries. Most recently, the USA and Canada groaned under the scorching sun *. It is similar in the desert state of Dubai *, where temperatures are currently well over 40 degrees. Even the 50-degree mark has already been broken. This is especially noticeable when there is a lack of drinking water. Just around 70 liters of rainwater fall from the sky in Dubai every year and square meter. For comparison: In Germany, according to wetter.com, there are between 500 and 1000 liters. To counteract the heat wave and a water shortage, scientists now want to use drones to generate artificial rain.

Artificial rain in Dubai: Millions of dollars and numerous projects for more rain in the desert

It is not the first project of this kind: the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have been working together since the early 2000s to generate more rain in the desert regions. In 2017, around 15 million US dollars in funding were promised for the research. At that time, researchers at the University of Reading also received around 1.5 million dollars for the development of new technologies for “Rain Enhancement Science”. A total of nine different projects for the artificial generation of rain are currently in progress.

So far, the Emirates have been working with a so-called “cloud seeding” technology, in which chemicals such as silver iodide are shot into the clouds with the help of manned aircraft. The technology is supposed to promote the formation of large raindrops through chemical reactions in the cloud – so that in the end more water comes from the sky. In fact, large raindrops are so important in the United Arab Emirates because smaller droplets often evaporate before they even hit the ground.

Heat and water scarcity: Dubai generates artificial rain

Recordings released on Sunday (07/18/2021) by the United Arab Emirates’ national center for meteorology showed intense showers that are said to have been generated by this technology. RTL meteorologist Martin Pscherer points out, however, that there is no comparison for such “effects”: it cannot be determined how much rain would have fallen without the method.

Artificial rain in Dubai: effects can only be tested in the long term

The new method of cloud seeding using electric charge and drones is particularly promising to alleviate droughts around the world without the negative effects and environmental concerns that the previous chemical methods brought with them. With the new method, the water droplets in the clouds are charged with electrical pulses and melt together. According to the theory, the raindrops should get bigger and heavier and finally come down from the sky as rain. This is particularly essential in hot regions like Dubai, as smaller droplets often evaporate before they even reach the ground.

“It is moving to imagine that the rainfall technology I saw here, which is still developing, could one day help countries in arid environments like the UAE,” said Mansoor Abulhoul, United Arab Emirates Ambassador to the UK , during a visit to the University of Reading in May where he was shown demonstrations of the new technology.

According to meteorologist Martin Pscherer, long-term observations will only show whether the efforts will lead to success if more rain falls in the Emirates over several years than the previous 70 liters. (iwe) * fr.de is an offer from IPPEN.MEDIA.