The United Arab Emirates is dramatically scaling its deployment of artificial intelligence in weather modification initiatives as global temperature records continue to climb. With 2025 confirmed as one of the hottest years in recorded history, the arid nation is confronting its water security challenges through technological innovation.
The National Center of Meteorology (NCM) unveiled three pioneering research projects selected for the Sixth Cycle of the UAE Research Programme for Rain Enhancement Science (UAEREP), each receiving up to $1.5 million in funding over three years. This cycle demonstrates a strategic pivot toward AI-integrated solutions across cloud seeding analysis, smart material development, and land-use modeling.
Alya Al Mazrouei, Director of UAEREP and Director of Research and Weather Enhancement at NCM, emphasized the critical nature of the situation: ‘Water security remains among the most urgent global challenges. With annual precipitation averaging below 100 millimeters, exceptionally high evaporation rates, and constrained groundwater replenishment, innovative approaches have transitioned from optional to essential.’
The global context underscores this urgency. According to World Meteorological Organization data, Earth’s average surface temperatures have risen 1.44°C above pre-industrial benchmarks, with 2023, 2024, and 2025 constituting the three warmest years ever documented.
The selected projects represent cutting-edge intersections of meteorology and artificial intelligence. Dr. Dixon Michael, a radar meteorologist from the United States, will employ machine learning to enhance assessment methodologies for cloud seeding effectiveness, advancing beyond conventional storm tracking to analyze microphysical processes and precipitation outcomes.
Professor Linda Zou from Australia’s Victoria University will develop advanced nanocomposite materials serving as ice nucleation agents, optimized through AI-powered analytics. Her work includes deploying a portable cloud chamber at NCM facilities and conducting specialized training programs.
Dr. Oliver Branch from Germany’s University of Hohenheim will investigate how strategic land cover modifications might naturally induce rainfall, providing complementary approaches to aerial interventions.
Dr. Abdulla Al Mandous, President of the World Meteorological Organization and Director General of NCM, noted the program’s evolving role: ‘Since its 2015 inception, UAEREP has matured into a global nexus for scientific collaboration, translating visionary concepts into practical, sustainable solutions that simultaneously foster economic growth and address environmental challenges.’