A Closer Look: Is this rain due to the UAE's cloud seeding programme?

A Closer Look is The National's show where we take an in-depth look at one of the main stories of the week.

The UAE was subjected to a number of heavy downpours this week as rain swept across the country.

Residents in Dubai were caught in some torrential rain on Wednesday night which led to flooding and a number of road closures, while Abu Dhabi managed to remain fairly dry.

More rain is expected before the skies finally clear on Sunday.

The week of wet weather coincides with Abu Dhabi hosting the International Rain Enhancement Forum 2023 where the Emirates' effort to increase the amount of rainfall was discussed.

Here, host Sarah Forster speaks to reporter Anjana Sankar about how much of the rain we saw this week was the result of cloud seeding.

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Cloud seeding in the UAE: in pictures

Hygroscopic (water-attracting) salt flares are attached to an aircraft at Al Ain International Airport before a cloud-seeding flight operated by the National Centre of Meteorology. The UAE has been leading the effort to seed clouds and increase precipitation, which remains at less than 100 millimetres a year on average. All photos by Reuters

Pilot Michael Anstis writes a weather report before the cloud-seeding flight from Al Ain.

An airport employee closes an aircraft door, with hygroscopic salt flares seen in the background, before the cloud-seeding flight.

Pilots Michael Anstis and Ahmed Al Jaberi receive instructions before the flight.

The control room at the National Centre of Meteorology in Abu Dhabi.

An explanatory hologram of the cloud-seeding process in the National Centre of Meteorology control room in Abu Dhabi.

Cloud-seeding flares in the National Centre of Meteorology control room.

Hygroscopic salt flares are attached to an aircraft during a cloud-seeding flight between Al Ain and Al Hayer. At 9,000 feet above sea level, the plane releases the flares into the most promising white clouds, hoping to trigger rainfall.

Hygroscopic salt flares are attached to an aircraft during a cloud-seeding flight. Scientists in Abu Dhabi combine shooting the flares with releasing salt nanoparticles, a newer technology, into the clouds to stimulate and accelerate the condensation process and hopefully produce droplets big enough to then fall as rain.

Flares are released during a cloud-seeding flight between Al Ain and Al Hayer.

Employees walk towards a hangar at Al Ain International Airport after a cloud-seeding flight.