![Cloud seeding operations carried out across parts of the UAE.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/LVAPJ2W6FZ54VLFWWMVXWDWQRU.jpg?smart=true&auth=6a87941bf11dc0ab84ed000979e3e1df227d90b9181fffdc1781c351128906a6&width=400&height=225)
![A cloud seeding plane soars over Abu Dhabi. The UAE’s National Centre of Meteorology has teamed up with experts from the UK to study whether electricity can help produce rain. All photos: National Centre of Meteorology](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/UE7LTO5ZNAYTAQZQWEPU5KKR2Y.jpg?smart=true&auth=907cf86ee64394bbc9a2c9ee0ad9c44b4ad2778b56d49bc496131f10d7a127ab&width=400&height=225)
![An aircraft fitted for cloud-seeding operations in the UAE.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/7KMRALQ7LBBPQZWCGJTWGJUFII.jpg?smart=true&auth=e5296d024b688c6bed0b639fc5e3073ee4b5b8a6fbf97d4e1a83d5f59f2f11dd&width=400&height=225)
![The UAE’s National Centre of Meteorology has teamed up with experts from the UK to study whether electricity can help produce rain.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/PIJRH7WK5TD33JOL2NXS72LB7Q.jpg?smart=true&auth=148fb80861c283187c2dd415bcc5ef07c3dad5b81a0aedd7896668bdcba02660&width=400&height=225)
![Cloud seeding operations carried out across parts of the UAE.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/P6JVVBH7D2GGKNOI7GGSDRKWKQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=3d1c5eccfbb1e778bdf1cb2a2074474dc7719db55f1bdcfdcf06c36076d103c0&width=400&height=225)
![Cloud seeding operations carried out across parts of the UAE.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/MWLTBVDY27W4FVWRBC5QZEWVSQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=623fc202a33996d3606fff68bf7a28ab4aaa7821342c405f851c5b4aece9391b&width=400&height=225)
![A cloud seeding operations is conducted over Dubai.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/IH6Z46UOO72UIVBK7P6CVGJHC4.jpg?smart=true&auth=ca728394e27724d1ed37e603e212827e6951c19efa2b8c6840c922f9088cea6f&width=400&height=225)
![A pilot prepares to take off on a cloud-seeding operation in the UAE.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/REG7JGFVB4YRMQSQ2YVZ6KR4XM.jpg?smart=true&auth=953b3c048b97fbaeef1fb23353559b670d953cf8c8440755fc6a2c6bdfdacbd9&width=400&height=225)
![An aircraft fitted for cloud-seeding operations in the UAE.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/2UJHDJQQJZEEGESHRLDJT6TOFE.jpg?smart=true&auth=48968a8b5f720ed9fb96965a36fb213a2608782924b316f384728e11a99b5e94&width=400&height=225)
![Cloud seeding operations carried out across parts of the UAE.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/LVAPJ2W6FZ54VLFWWMVXWDWQRU.jpg?smart=true&auth=6a87941bf11dc0ab84ed000979e3e1df227d90b9181fffdc1781c351128906a6&width=400&height=225)
![A cloud seeding plane soars over Abu Dhabi. The UAE’s National Centre of Meteorology has teamed up with experts from the UK to study whether electricity can help produce rain. All photos: National Centre of Meteorology](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/UE7LTO5ZNAYTAQZQWEPU5KKR2Y.jpg?smart=true&auth=907cf86ee64394bbc9a2c9ee0ad9c44b4ad2778b56d49bc496131f10d7a127ab&width=400&height=225)
![An aircraft fitted for cloud-seeding operations in the UAE.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/7KMRALQ7LBBPQZWCGJTWGJUFII.jpg?smart=true&auth=e5296d024b688c6bed0b639fc5e3073ee4b5b8a6fbf97d4e1a83d5f59f2f11dd&width=400&height=225)
![The UAE’s National Centre of Meteorology has teamed up with experts from the UK to study whether electricity can help produce rain.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/PIJRH7WK5TD33JOL2NXS72LB7Q.jpg?smart=true&auth=148fb80861c283187c2dd415bcc5ef07c3dad5b81a0aedd7896668bdcba02660&width=400&height=225)
![Cloud seeding operations carried out across parts of the UAE.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/P6JVVBH7D2GGKNOI7GGSDRKWKQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=3d1c5eccfbb1e778bdf1cb2a2074474dc7719db55f1bdcfdcf06c36076d103c0&width=400&height=225)
![Cloud seeding operations carried out across parts of the UAE.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/MWLTBVDY27W4FVWRBC5QZEWVSQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=623fc202a33996d3606fff68bf7a28ab4aaa7821342c405f851c5b4aece9391b&width=400&height=225)
![A cloud seeding operations is conducted over Dubai.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/IH6Z46UOO72UIVBK7P6CVGJHC4.jpg?smart=true&auth=ca728394e27724d1ed37e603e212827e6951c19efa2b8c6840c922f9088cea6f&width=400&height=225)
![A pilot prepares to take off on a cloud-seeding operation in the UAE.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/REG7JGFVB4YRMQSQ2YVZ6KR4XM.jpg?smart=true&auth=953b3c048b97fbaeef1fb23353559b670d953cf8c8440755fc6a2c6bdfdacbd9&width=400&height=225)
![An aircraft fitted for cloud-seeding operations in the UAE.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/2UJHDJQQJZEEGESHRLDJT6TOFE.jpg?smart=true&auth=48968a8b5f720ed9fb96965a36fb213a2608782924b316f384728e11a99b5e94&width=400&height=225)
![Cloud seeding operations carried out across parts of the UAE.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/LVAPJ2W6FZ54VLFWWMVXWDWQRU.jpg?smart=true&auth=6a87941bf11dc0ab84ed000979e3e1df227d90b9181fffdc1781c351128906a6&width=400&height=225)
Cloud seeding in the UAE: does rain-enhancement technique make the air more or less polluted?
As academics debate the effect in a series of conflicting papers, the National Centre of Meteorology says there is no effect on people at ground level
![Daniel Bardsley](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/https%3A%2F%2Fs3.amazonaws.com%2Farc-authors%2Fthenational%2F4dcffed7-67d1-4c6f-b468-84a82d1ddd22.png?smart=true&auth=e4d7a6e3c76d7ec922e25339bc18538c62bc925936c2316006dc89b8a7becdc6&width=70&height=70)
Daniel Bardsley
March 11, 2021
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