Cloud seeding causes light rain in Sweihan - one of the hottest places on Earth

The town in Al Ain recorded 51.8°C on June 6

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  Cloud seeding operations in the UAE. National Centre for Meteorology

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  Flares are fired from one of the National Centre of Meteorology's cloud-seeding planes. Courtesy: National Centre of Meteorology

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  The UAE carries out regular cloud seeding missions, including during the recent torrential rain spell. National Centre of Meteorology

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  Cloud seeding operations in the UAE. National Centre for Meteorology

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  The NCM use Beechcraft KingAir C90. National Centre for Meteorology

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  Cloud seeding operations in the UAE can boost rainfall from clouds by about a third. National Centre for Meteorology

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  Cloud seeding operations in the UAE. National Centre for Meteorology

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  Cloud seeding operations in the UAE. National Centre for Meteorology

Successful cloud-seeding operations caused light rainfall over Sweihan and Al Arad in Al Ain on Tuesday evening, the National Centre of Meteorology said.

The light showers brought some respite after the summer heat. Sweihan recorded the highest daytime temperature on June 6 when the mercury soared to 51.8°C, making it the hottest place on Earth that day.

The city's long-time residents told The National then that the first week of June was perhaps the hottest they have known and it felt like an inferno.

The weather forecaster said some clouds will form eastward by Wednesday afternoon. On Thursday, there is a probability of some convective clouds forming eastward and southward by afternoon.

Convective clouds are ideal for cloud seeding.

Planes are fitted with special flares that are loaded with salt crystals and fired into convective, or warm, clouds that have an updraft – or rising current of air.–

The updraft then sucks the salt crystals up into the cloud where they attract tiny particles of water that collide, becoming heavier and then falling as rain.

Sweihan at 52°C: what life is like in the 'hottest place on Earth’

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  Shops in Sweihan. On Sunday, temperatures in the Al Ain town hit 51.8°C, the highest recorded by any community on Earth that day.

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  'The National' visited Sweihan when the temperature was a more clement 44°C, but not right for cooking eggs.

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  Shakeel KP, a restaurant owner in Sweihan, says this summer is the hottest he has experienced in 12 years.

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  Elhadrami Alhashmi, an Emirati camel trainer and businessman, says Sweihan is hotter than his hometown of Liwa.

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  Thursday's temperatures in Sweihan meant an attempt at frying an egg in the 44°C heat did not deliver the desired effect.

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  Residents of Sweihan say the heat is unbearable.

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  Sweihan's heat melts ice cream in minutes.

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  Residents of Sweihan say they avoid going outdoors during the daytime.

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  Haris Hassan, 50, from Kerala, is the owner of Mega Fun Electronics in Sweihan. He says daytime heat is too much for even a five-minute walk.

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  Sweihan resident Tareef Otham has cut down on his daily outdoor exercise routine to avoid the heat.

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  Abdullah OK, 21, from India, sells fruit and vegetables in Sweihan.

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  Hawa El Hadey, a travel agent who moved from Abu Dhabi city to Sweihan 13 years ago, says the heat is not too bad.

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  Syed Ali, 31, from Pakistan works as a maintenance supervisor and has been living in Sweihan for five years.

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  Muhammad Shafi, 35, from Kerala, has been in Sweihan for six months.

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  Sweihan's long-time residents said last week was perhaps the hottest they have experienced.

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  Sweihan's long-time residents said last week was perhaps the hottest they have experienced.