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

Cloud seeding operations in the UAE. National Centre for Meteorology

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

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

Cloud seeding operations in the UAE. National Centre for Meteorology

The NCM use Beechcraft KingAir C90. National Centre for Meteorology

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

Cloud seeding operations in the UAE. National Centre for Meteorology

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’