Western region and Al Ain area remain most likely to receive showers as upper-air trough weakens and move south by Friday.
Cloud seeding operations were conducted over the past few days whenever suitable clouds were identified, the National Centre of Meteorology (NCM) said, as the UAE experienced the peak of its current rainy weather today.
The recent showers, driven by the influence of an upper-air trough, have brought relief to various parts of the Emirates. The cloud seeding missions are intended to enhance natural rainfall and increase the volume of drops reaching the ground.
According to NCM, the current weather system is expected to gradually weaken and shift southward starting today. However, residents can still expect cloud development during the afternoon over the eastern and western parts of the country.
Forecasters have noted a continued chance of rainfall, particularly over the western region. By Friday, the upper-air system will continue its southward movement, leading to generally fewer clouds across the Emirates. A slight chance of rainfall will remain, primarily concentrated around the Al Ain area.
High temperatures and rain
The recent wet spell comes at a time when temperatures in the UAE have occasionally touched the 50°C mark. While it may seem unusual to experience rain during such extreme heat, experts explain that high temperatures actually contribute to the development of convective clouds by enhancing surface heating.
However, intense heat alone is not sufficient to produce rain. For showers to materialise, a combination of essential atmospheric conditions must be present. These include adequate moisture, the influence of humid air masses, upper-air troughs, atmospheric instability, and favourable wind patterns.
When these critical elements align with the intense summer heat, cloud development and rainfall become possible, providing a brief respite from the sweltering conditions.
The current spell follows a series of convective weather events that have swept across the UAE in recent days. On Wednesday, July 29, the NCM issued an orange alert as heavy rain, dust storms and strong winds hit Dubai and other parts of the country, with gusty winds reaching speeds of up to 50km/h and reducing horizontal visibility in several areas.
A day earlier, rain and hail were reported across parts of the eastern region, including Masafi and areas north of Al Ain. The met department had also issued yellow alerts for dust storms and rain on July 28, as convective cloud activity continued to affect the country through the peak of summer.
