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Source: The post reasons for heavy rains in the UAE has been created, based on the article “What’s behind heavy rainfall in Dubai” published in “Indian express” on 18th April 2024.
UPSC Syllabus Topic: GS Paper 3- environment-environmental pollution and degradation, And Disaster and disaster management.
News: The article describes a record-breaking rainstorm in the UAE that caused severe flooding and disruptions
What happened in the UAE due to the rainstorm?
Historic Weather Event:
The UAE experienced the heaviest rainfall on record since 1949, with Dubai receiving over 142 millimeters of rain in just one night. Typically, Dubai sees about 94.7 millimeters of rain in an average year.
Al Ain recorded 254 millimeters, and Fujairah saw 145 millimeters.
Rain Affecting Daily Life:
The downpour caused widespread flooding in homes, major roads, and shopping centers like Dubai Mall and Mall of the Emirates.
Air travel was severely disrupted, leading to temporary suspension of flights and significant delays at Dubai International Airport.
Other Impacts:
Schools across the UAE were closed.
The government mandated work-from-home directives to cope with the situation.
In nearby Oman, the rains resulted in the deaths of 18 people, including school children.
What are the reasons for heavy rains in the UAE?
Storm System: A significant storm system moved across the Arabian Peninsula, bringing unusually high rainfall to the region.
Cloud Seeding: The UAE utilized cloud seeding technology, which involves spraying salt mixtures into clouds to induce rain. Meteorologists at the National Center for Meteorology conducted six or seven cloud-seeding flights before the storm.
For details information on Artificial Rain by Cloud Seeding read here
Climate Change: Global warming may have contributed, as higher temperatures lead to increased water evaporation, allowing the atmosphere to hold more moisture. The UAE has seen a temperature rise of almost 1.5 degrees Celsius over the last 60 years.
Natural Climate Variability: It’s challenging to link this specific event directly to climate change due to the influence of natural climate patterns such as El Niño and La Niña, which also affect weather extremes.
Question for practice:
Discuss the factors contributing to the record-breaking rainstorm in the UAE.
