Storm dumps heaviest rain ever recorded in desert nation of UAE, flooding roads and Dubai's airport

Heavy thunderstorms lashed the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday, dumping the heaviest rain ever recorded in the country in the span of hours as it flooded out portions of major highways and Dubai's international airport.

The state-run WAM news agency called the rain “a historic weather event” that surpassed “anything documented since the start of data collection in 1949.” That's before the discovery of crude oil in this energy-rich nation then part of a British protectorate known as the Trucial States. The rains began late Monday, soaking the sands and roadways of Dubai with some 20 millimeters (0.79 inches) of rain, according to meteorological data collected at Dubai International Airport. The storms intensified around 9 a.m. local Tuesday and continued throughout the day, dumping more rain and hail onto the overwhelmed city.

By the end of Tuesday, more than 142 millimeters (5.59 inches) of rainfall had soaked Dubai over 24 hours. An average year sees 94.7 millimeters (3.73 inches) of rain at Dubai International Airport, the world’s busiest for international travel and a hub for the long-haul carrier Emirates.

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[wolfmangoland]

Camels in the desert are now dreaming of owning boats.

[dilgaf]

This is what happens when you over do it with the chemical cloud seeding.

[marynick]

God said " I will make rivers in the deserts".So He did.❤

[Freedom-fwwc]

They are changing the rhythm of Nature and will pay a very high price for it all!

[charleswhite]

Fun fact: Apparently more people die in deserts by drowning than of thirst😂

[DaddyPhatSnack]

Anyone else noticed that places that never have floods are flooding, or places that never have earthquakes are starting to have them. Or places that get a lot of rain, are NOT getting rain . Look how these parts of the earth looked 10 years ago vs what they look like now . 😳

[Snutz.D]

Did they go overboard with the cloud seeding?

[Katiethreeable]

People in Dubai don’t like the Flintstones, but the People in Abu-dhabi do

[kzeotmh]

This is amazing Amazing Amazing weather.

[pawog]

This is why you dont play with weather

[DaanArt-UK]

Amazing 👏, keep the land wet and green in the future!
It's a bit hard to accept the flooding at the beginning, but the land needs more water than this to recover. Bless you Dubai 🙏 ♥️

[rachelhelen]

Cloud seeding is a crime against humanity.

[MelissaR]

“The UAE carries out nearly 300 cloud-seeding missions each year, and the frequency can vary based on factors such as weather patterns, cloud availability, and climatic conditions, ” an NCM official told Al Arabiya English, adding a “roughly” similar number of missions is likely to be carried out in 2024, depending on the availability of “amenable clouds.”

[malwaboy]

Hope all lives are safe
Floods are much scary in person and I have seen some in my childhood days in my home country Wish we have even more solar and wind power
I have hope that every human shall understand their role in reducing the carbon footprint
Again I wish safety for the citizens of Dubai

[qcgqxfebebekids]

That was a lot of seeding them clouds huh!

[rajkrish]

Our heart goes out all to those who are struggling. 🙏

[SevenUP]

This is common occurrence in the southern US when it comes to storms. Just wait until your cloud seeding produces a F5 tornado

[youlostit]

It's hard to be concerned when you don't live there

[KarimAouissi]

This is a reminder from god for those who stray. They reap what they sow.

[wielkikefir]

I was planning to go with my family for a holiday, but the weather in Dubai isn't stable. Same like in UK, rain rain rain 🌧