Why in News? The United Arab Emirates (UAE) recorded the heaviest rain ever - “a historic weather event” that surpassed anything documented since the start of data collection in 1949.

What Exactly Happened in the UAE? The thunderstorms had dumped more than 142 mm of rain onto the desert city of Dubai in a day. Usually, the city witnesses this much rain in a year and a half. Across Dubai, homes and popular shopping centres(like Dubai Mall) were flooded and vehicles were abandoned on roadways. The heavy rains led to disruption of air travel as flights were either diverted or delayed.

Why is it an Unusual Weather Event? An average year sees 94.7 mm of rain at Dubai International Airport - the world’s 2nd busiest airport, which recorded more than 80 million visitors in 2023. Heavy rains are unusual in the UAE, which is an arid, Arabian Peninsula country. However, they occasionally occur in the region during cooler winter months.

What Led to the Heavy Rains in the UAE? The primary reason for these heavy rains was a storm system, which was passing from the Arabian Peninsula to the Gulf of Oman. According to a report, rains could have been exacerbated by cloud seeding, a process of spraying salt mixtures in clouds that would result in condensation of the cloud and eventually cause rainfall.

Is Climate Change Responsible for the Event? The soaring global temperatures could also be behind the event. Studies have found that for every 1-degree Celsius rise in average temperature, the atmosphere can hold about 7% more moisture, making storms more dangerous. However, it is extremely difficult to attribute any particular extreme weather event to climate change. It is because there are multiple factors (like El Niño and La Niña) that contribute to such events.