A powerful storm struck the United Arab Emirates and Oman this week, resulting in record-breaking rainfall. The heavy downpour caused widespread flooding, leading to highway closures, flight delays and cancellations, blocked roads, submerged homes, and significant traffic congestion. Many people found themselves stranded in their residences due to the inundation.
These biblical floods in and around Dubai, Israel, and Iran are no joke.
Maybe it’s God’s way of trying to force peace? pic.twitter.com/Up7topXwy9
— Gary Gensler (Parody) (@GaryGenslerMeme) April 17, 2024
Bahrain also got unusual rain and flooding after strong thunder and lightning happened overnight. The storm also affected some parts of Qatar after passing over Oman. In Oman, they caused deadly floods and left many people stuck.
Reports indicate that at least 20 fatalities occurred in Oman as a result of the deluge, while 1 person died in the UAE due to flooding. The severe weather conditions prompted the closure of government offices and schools for several days in the affected areas.
Al Ain, UAE a city neighbouring Oman, witnessed a historic 254 millimetres (10 inches) of rainfall, marking the highest recorded amount within a 24-hour span since record-keeping began in 1949.
Is Cloud Seeding the Reason?
Rainfall is a rarity in the UAE and across the Arabian Peninsula, regions renowned for their arid desert climates where summer temperatures often exceed 50 degrees Celsius. However, both the UAE and Oman lack adequate drainage systems to manage heavy downpours, resulting in submerged roads being a common occurrence during rainfall events.
Following the recent events on Tuesday, there have been inquiries into whether the heavy rains could have been induced by cloud seeding, a practice frequently employed by the UAE. Cloud seeding involves the introduction of chemicals (especially brine) into clouds to stimulate rainfall, particularly in areas facing water scarcity concerns. Situated in one of the driest and hottest regions globally, the UAE has been at the forefront of cloud seeding initiatives aimed at augmenting precipitation.
Is Climate Change the Reason?
Experts suggest that the significant rainfall in Dubai may have been influenced by a typical weather system exacerbated by climate change. Esraa Alnaqbi, a senior forecaster at the UAE government’s National Centre of Meteorology, explains that a combination of low pressure in the upper atmosphere and low pressure at the surface created a pressure “squeeze” on the air. This squeeze, intensified by temperature contrasts between ground level and higher altitudes, set the stage for the powerful thunderstorm.
Alnaqbi notes that while such an “abnormal phenomenon” isn’t uncommon in April due to rapid seasonal pressure changes, climate change likely played a role in amplifying the storm.
Climate scientists emphasize that rising global temperatures, attributed to human-induced climate change, contribute to more extreme weather events worldwide, including intense rainfall. Dim Coumou, a professor specializing in climate extremes at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, explains that thunderstorms, like those witnessed in the UAE recently, experience a significant increase in intensity in a warmer world due to strengthened convection, or updraft.
Are Green House Gases The Reason For UAE Rain?
The Earth’s average global temperature has risen by at least 1.1 degrees Celsius since 1850, with the UAE experiencing a nearly 1.5-degree Celsius increase over the past six decades. This temperature surge is primarily driven by the escalation of heat-trapping greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions since the onset of the Industrial Revolution.
Yet, pinpointing climate change as the sole cause of any specific extreme weather occurrence is highly challenging.
Climatologist Gabi Hegerl from Edinburgh University predicts that many places will likely experience worse extreme rainfall, such as what happened in the UAE and Oman, because of climate change. She explains that when the conditions are just right for heavy downpours, there’s more moisture in the air, causing heavier rainfall. This extra moisture is due to warmer air caused by human activities contributing to climate change.
This complexity arises from the involvement of various factors, including patterns of natural climate variability such as El Niño and La Niña, which also play significant roles in shaping these events.
Also Read: UAE Rain Alert: A Stay-Home Advisory Issued As Heavy Rains Sweep Across All 7 Emirates
