UAE conducted 321 cloud seeding missions this year so far

Emadeddin Khalil, Staff Reporter

The National Centre of Meteorology (NCM) has carried out 321 cloud seeding missions, since the beginning of this year 2023, until Wednesday, at a rate of 2-3 hours per mission, covering most regions of the country.

Over this week, separate areas witnessed heavy rain accompanied by lightning, thunder and hail as a result of the country being affected by an extension of a surface air depression from the east with a low extension in the upper layers of the atmosphere accompanied by an air current from the west and rainfall. This weather situation being affecting the country would end on Friday, the NCM added.

On Wednesday, separate areas of the country witnessed heavy rain, including Al Harai and Al Zubarah in Khorfakkan, Kadra, Al Ghail, Asama, Masafi and Shawka in Ras Al Khaimah, Al Khalibiya, Thuban and Al Tawayn in Fujairah, Falaj Al Mualla and Rashidiya in Umm Al Quwain, and on other separate areas of the country.

The lowest temperature recorded in the country on Wednesday was 12.3°C in Jebel Jais, Ras Al Khaimah at 3:15 am, the NCM added.

It has also expected that the weather on Thursday will fair to partly cloudy in general, with a chance of cumulus clouds formation, associated with rainfall over some eastern and western areas.

The winds will be light to moderate, easterly to northeasterly, freshening at times causing blowing dust, at a speed of 15 – 25 reaching up to 40 km/h. The sea will be moderate to slight in the Arabian Gulf and slight in the Sea of Oman.

The Friday’s weather is expected to be fair to partly cloudy at times, with a probability of cumulus clouds formation westward and eastward, maybe associated with rainfall, and with an increase in temperatures.

It is also expected to be humid by night and on Saturday morning westward. The winds will be light to moderate, northeasterly to easterly winds, freshening at times, at a speed of 15 – 25 reaching 35 km/h. The sea will be slight to moderate in the Arabian Gulf and slight in the Sea of Oman.

The weather on Friday is expected to be fair to partly cloudy at times. The clouds will appear westward, may be cumulus. Humid by night and Sunday morning, with a probability of mist formation over some western areas.

The winds will be light to moderate, northeasterly to southeasterly, freshening at times, at a speed of 15 – 25 reaching up to 35 km/h. The sea will be slight in the Arabian Gulf and in the Sea of Oman.