The UAE’s National Centre of Meteorology (NCM) has actively carried out 172 cloud-seeding flights since the start of 2025. This ongoing initiative aims to increase rainfall across the country by 10 to 25 percent, based on previously approved research studies.
Advanced Cloud-Seeding Techniques in Use
NCM deploys specialized aircraft equipped with advanced seeding agents made from natural salts and innovative nanomaterials. The program also uses charge emitters to inject electrical charges directly into clouds, enhancing precipitation.
To improve results, the UAE expands its cloud-seeding program by testing modern materials combined with electric charging. The center employs sophisticated numerical models that simulate chemical, physical, and electrical processes within clouds with high accuracy.
Innovative Experiments and AI Integration
NCM experiments include creating vertical air currents using jet engines and employing lasers to stimulate cloud formation. The program also develops artificial intelligence tools to autonomously analyze cloud conditions in real time. These AI systems leverage satellite imagery and radar to predict cloud behavior up to six hours in advance, ensuring optimal timing for seeding.
Significant Drop in Rainfall During 2025 Winter Season
The 2025 winter season, from December 2024 to March 2025, brought only 4.3 millimeters of rainfall nationwide— a steep decline from the 48.7 millimeters recorded during the previous winter. The highest 24-hour rainfall occurred on January 14, with 20.1 millimeters measured at Jebel Jais. January also saw the highest monthly total of 21.4 millimeters at the same location.
In contrast, the 2024 winter season featured much higher rainfall levels, including a daily peak of 167.1 millimeters at UAE University in Al Ain on February 12, and a monthly total of 227.9 millimeters in Umm Al Ghaf during February.
La Niña’s Impact on UAE Rainfall Patterns
NCM links the reduced rainfall to shifts in regional pressure systems over the last two years, influenced indirectly by the La Niña climate phenomenon. La Niña strengthens subtropical high-pressure systems over the Arabian Peninsula, which suppress low-pressure systems and reduce the formation of rain-bearing clouds. These atmospheric changes have limited rainfall frequency and volume in 2025.
Supporting UAE’s Sustainable Water Security Goals
Although no rainfall records broke this season, NCM emphasizes the importance of enhancing rainfall through cloud seeding. The initiative plays a vital role in supporting the UAE’s water resources and reservoirs, aligning with the country’s long-term sustainable water security objectives.
