It’s an infrequent visitor to this part of the world that is usually baked by sunshine – and one that fascinates the people who live here.

Dubai

Rainfall is a rare and celebrated event in the United Arab Emirates, a country known for its arid climate and frequent sunshine. Residents, including many foreign workers from tropical countries, often travel to areas where rain is forecast, cherishing the experience and the memories it evokes.

Despite these occasional showers, the UAE faces significant water scarcity and depends on around 70 desalination plants for drinking water. The country has also implemented cloud seeding for years in an effort to increase rainfall, but it remains among the top nations at risk for water shortages.

Chasing the rain in the United Arab Emirates

Dark clouds and welcome rain in this parched desert country. It's an infrequent visitor to this part of the world that is usually baked by sunshine and one that fascinates the people who live here. A group of them have been chasing the rainfall to this mountain village in the northern part of the United Arab Emirates. This is amazing. This is what Kerala people will love this rain and we are chasing it for a long time actually and this is amazing and we thank UA Weatherman for forecasting this and passing the information to all of us. It's a memorable moment, worthy of a family outing in this dry country, not only for its citizens but also for the huge number of foreign workers, many of whom are from the Indian subcontinent and used to monsoon rains. We from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, all tropical countries, we are getting so much rain. So when we come to Dubai, a dry area, so we miss rain always. So we are always expecting a single drop of rain, if a drop comes it gives a lot of happiness, a lot of memories, nostalgic moments. With a weather pattern that keeps the rain away, the UAE relies heavily on some 70 desalination plants to supply it with enough drinking water. It's also been cloud seeding for years, releasing chemicals into clouds to try and induce rain. But it's still seventh in the world for being at risk for water scarcity.

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Breakdown