All year round, 99 per cent of the time you can expect weather in the UAE to be one thing – hot and sunny.
However, the UAE has now launched a new multi-million dirham grant in order for scientists to research into making it rain in the country.
Spearheaded by the National Centre of Meteorology, grants of Dhs5.5 million could be available to those who can contribute to the National Rain Enhancement Programme with their research. This grant would be distributed over three years, meaning the yearly amount would equate to a maximum of Dhs2.02 per annum.
Discussing the new initiative, the director of the National Centre of Meteorology and the President of the Regional Association II (Asia) of World Meteorological Organisation, Dr Abdulla Al Mandous said it was an “important step in pushing forward the rain enhancement research to the next level of impact and sophistication”.
“This focus will improve our ability to address water-stress issues more effectively in line with the aspirations of our leadership, while enhancing the UAE’s position as a global hub for rain enhancement,” he added.
In the last few years, cloud seeding has been used in the UAE in order to encourage increased rainfall.
Last year, according to , it rained a total of 38 days.
