Airplanes

We set off flares on a plane’s wing to affect the weather

  • The UAE only experiences 100mm of rainfall a year
  • Cloudseeding aims to boost this by 30 percent
  • It’s all done at the press of a button

Published on Feb 07, 2025 at 11:30 AM (UTC-5)
by Amelia Jean Hershman-Jones

Last updated on Feb 10, 2025 at 2:56 AM (UTC-5)
Edited by Tom Wood

We set off flares on a plane’s wing to affect the weather
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In a process that sounds like it came straight out of a sci-fi movie, Supercar Blondie presenter, Sergi Galiano went up in a plane in the UAE to to set off flares and make it rain – literally.

Cloud seeding involves releasing salts, namely silver iodide and sodium chloride into the atmosphere.

This helps help moisture in clouds, allowing moisture droplets to grow bigger, and fall as rain.

Flares along the wing go off at the press of a button – hopefully boosting the 100mm of annual rainfall by 30 percent.

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With a dual English and French degree and NCTJ diploma, Amelia began her career doing award-winning writing and editing for titles and brands spanning Women's Health, the Telegraph, Boots, and Vitality. Amelia joined the SB Media family in September of 2023, bringing her expertise in SEO and reader takeaway. As Lead Editor, her superpower is translating technical jargon about the mechanical workings of a supercar into a shareable story.