UAE is experiencing heavy rains and many wondered if cloud seeding has something to do with it.
The National Center of Meteorology told Gulf News: "Cloud seeding started at 11:15pm last night and will go on till we see no more clouds left. It's going on right now, our radios are on and the aircrafts are flying conducting cloud seeding right now (11:30am)."
Here's a video of cloud seeding that NCM shared with Gulf News.
To enhance the amount of rain that UAE receives, the NCM constantly monitors weather and clouds using a sophisticated weather surveillance radar (WSR).
Cloud seeding missions can only be carried out with cumulus cloud formations, so once they are identified, the NCM quickly launches aircrafts carrying salt crystals – mixed with magnesium, sodium chloride and potassium chloride – that are shot into the skies.
The salt crystal flares then encourages the formation and release of cloud moisture, which then turns into precipitation.
Heavy rain has been reported in many parts of the country. In its daily forecast, NCM stated: "Unstable weather will continue over the country, and weather will be cloudy in general with the presence of convective clouds over scattered areas, associated with rainfall of different intensities, with thunder and lightening at times and fall in temperatures."
