Saudi Arabia, GCC: More Rainfall Due to Warmer Weather, Cloud Seeding

Sudan Events – Agencies

As climate change warms the oceans, Saudi Arabia and the other Gulf countries are set to experience bigger and more frequent rainstorms, experts say, while a surging number of cloud-seeding programs will enhance rainfall and boost freshwater reserves in the region.
In recent years, Saudi cities from Jeddah to Dammam have been hit by torrential downpours and thunderstorms and over the past few days, across the Gulf region, countries have experienced severe weather conditions, resulting in fatal floods and significant disturbances.
Floods have been recorded in the UAE, Oman – which has killed at least 16 people, many of them schoolchildren – in Bahrain, and in Kuwait, while Saudi Arabia is also gearing up for continued adverse weather conditions until Wednesday.
According to the director of the climate and water program at the Middle East Institute in Washington DC, Mohammed Mahmoud, the reason is simple.
Mahmoud said: “Warmer weather leads to warmer oceans. Much of this is linked to climate change, warming the atmosphere and oceans, especially waters closer to the equator and Arabian Sea. Warmer waters are good breeding grounds for storms and extreme weather like the cyclones hitting Africa.”