Dubai makes fake rain to cope with heatwave

As the mercury soars to 49C, Dubai officials have resorted to a truly extraordinary way to cool down the sweltering city.

Officials in Dubai are using drones to artificially increase rainfall as the city grapples with oppressive heat.

The rainmaking technology, known as “cloud seeding,” was put into use as summer temperatures surged past 49C in the United Arab Emirates city.

Experts have said the technology aims to make rain form more efficiently inside clouds and in doing so, make more water come down.

Rainmaking has become common in dry countries such as the United Arab Emirates. Picture: National Centre of Meteorology

An explanation of how the ‘cloud seeding’ process works. Picture: Journal of Atmospheric and Ocean

What is cloud seeding?

The cloud seeding process involves drones that are used to shoot electrical charges into clouds, causing them to clump together and trigger more rainfall.

Footage shared on Sunday by the UAE’s National Centre of Meteorology showed the intense showers flooding roads in addition to flashes of lightning.

Rainmaking has become common in dry countries such as the UAE, which typically only records 10cm of rain a year, the Independent reported.

Temperatures in Dubai have surged to 49C. Picture: iStock

The technology works by having drones shoot electrical charges into clouds. Picture: University of Bath

“The global water shortage is worsening in many parts of the world, so the demand for fresh water is increasing,” said Linda Zou, a professor at the UAE’s Khalifa University of Science and Technology.

“Cloud seeding could be one of the methods that can contribute to alleviating the water problem.”

This article originally appeared in the New York Post and was reproduced with permission