UAE experiences hottest April in over 20 years; why is there less rainfall this year?

Khaleej Times

30-04-2025

The UAE has experienced a noticeable drop in rainfall this year and the hottest April in over two decades.
Compared to 2024, amounts of rainfall received this year have been much lower, as the country continues its ambitious cloud seeding programme to enhance precipitation in a dry and increasingly hot climate.
According to Ahmed El Kamali, a meteorology expert at the National Center of Meteorology (NCM), the reduction in rainfall is linked to a global weather phenomena.
Reasons behind the phenomenon
In an interview with Khaleej Times on Tuesday, he said, 'Globally, we are affected by a large-scale weather event called La Niña, (it involves a significant cooling of ocean surface temperatures in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific, along with shifts in tropical atmospheric circulation, such as changes in wind patterns, air pressure and rainfall) which probably explains why we are receiving much less rainfall compared to last year,' he said. 'Last year, we had extreme weather conditions in the UAE, but this year has been relatively quiet.'
Despite the reduced rainfall, the UAE continues its cloud seeding efforts when seedable clouds are present. 'As long as we have seedable clouds that can enhance rainfall, we will try to get the maximum amount of rainfall from them,' El Kamali explained. 'So far in 2025, we've conducted 110 cloud seeding missions.'
In 2024, the country carried out 388 cloud seeding operations, a record number that could potentially be matched again this year if local cloud activity picks up, particularly during the summer and winter seeding seasons.
The UAE maintains a fleet of four aircraft and a team of 12 pilots who operate round-the-clock missions based on radar data that identifies optimal cloud conditions. 'We even conduct night flights,' El Kamali added. 'Radar coverage extends across the entire country and into neighboring regions to help guide the operations.'
Data from 2021 shows that cloud seeding can boost rainfall by up to 25 per cent under favorable conditions, and around 15 per cent in dustier, more turbid environments.
El Kamali said, 'The majority of seedable clouds occur during the winter months, from December to March, when the entire country is typically covered by cloud cover.'
'In the summer, the mission takes place again, from June to September. During this time, cloud seeding is mainly focused on the eastern and northern regions, as well as some southern areas. Locations such as Fujairah, Massafi, and Al Ain are common, and occasionally, Ras Al Khaimah, Liwa, and Hameem in the southern parts may also be affected. However, the focus is primarily on the eastern regions.'
What temperature was recorded this April?
Meanwhile, temperatures are surging as the country transitions from spring into summer.
Dr Ahmed Habib, another meteorologist at the NCM, noted that the UAE recorded its hottest April temperature in 24 years just days ago. 'On April 26 this year, we recorded 46.6°C — the highest for this month in over two decades,' he said.
Habib attributes the heat to a thermal low-pressure system extending from the Arabian Desert. 'We are currently under the effect of a southerly wind and a warm air mass. It's normal to feel intense heat at the end of spring,' he said, adding that internal areas of the UAE could continue to see daytime highs of 46-47°C in the coming weeks.
Looking ahead, the NCM expects more cloud formation over mountainous regions in the eastern UAE during the summer months, particularly from June to September, driven by the monsoon and associated convective activity.
'From late June to late September, convective clouds commonly form — particularly over the eastern mountain regions — due to the influence of the monsoon. While this pattern aligns with the regional climate, it is also affected by prevailing pressure systems,' added Habib.