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Chasing clouds: Monsoon memories drive rain-loving Indian expats into UAE desert
Chasing clouds: Monsoon memories drive rain-loving Indian expats into UAE desert

Malay Mail

time3 hours ago

  • Climate
  • Malay Mail

Chasing clouds: Monsoon memories drive rain-loving Indian expats into UAE desert

SHARJAH (United Arab Emirates), June 20 — Muhammed Sajjad missed his native Kerala's monsoon season so much when he moved from India to the United Arab Emirates a decade ago that he embarked on an unlikely quest — finding rain in the desert. Using satellite imagery, weather data and other high-tech tools, the amateur meteorologist tracks potential rainfall spots across the desert country and, along with other Indians nostalgic for the monsoon, chases the clouds in search of rain. 'When I came to UAE in 2015 it was peak monsoon time' in Kerala, the 35-year-old estate agent told AFP, adding that he had struggled to adjust to the change of climate. 'So I started to search about the rain in the UAE and I came to know that there is rain in the summer,' he said. 'I started to explore the possibility' of chasing it to 'enjoy the rain'. Each week, he forecasts when and where rain might fall and posts a suggested rendezvous to his 130,000 followers on 'UAE Weatherman' on Instagram. He regularly posts footage of his rain expeditions into the desert, hoping to bring together 'all rain lovers who miss rain'. Earlier this month he headed out into the desert from Sharjah on the coast at the head of a convoy of about 100 vehicles. But nothing is certain. The rain 'may happen, it may not happen,' Sajjad said. But when it does, 'it is an amazing moment'. 'Nostalgic' After driving in the desert for hours, the group arrived at the designated spot just as a downpour started. The rain lovers leapt out of their vehicles, their faces beaming as droplets streamed down their cheeks in a rare reminder of home. 'They feel nostalgic,' Sajjad said proudly. Most UAE residents are foreigners, among them some 3.5 million Indians who make up the Gulf country's largest expatriate community. Despite the use of advanced cloud-seeding technology, the UAE has an average yearly rainfall of just 50 to 100 millilitres. Most of it falls during short but intense winter storms. 'While long-term averages remain low, the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events has been increasing and is due to global warming,' said Diana Francis, a climate scientist who teaches at Khalifa University in Abu Dhabi. In the summer, the country often gets less than five millilitres of rain, she said, usually falling away from the coastal areas where most of the population lives. So rain-seekers must drive deep into the desert interior to have a chance of success. An Indian expatriate, who gave her name only as Anagha, said she was 'excited to see the rain'. 'All of my family and friends are enjoying good rain and good climate and we are living here in the hot sun,' she said. The UAE endured its hottest April on record this year. By contrast, April last year saw the UAE's heaviest rains in 75 years, which saw 259.5 mm of rainfall in a single day. Four people died and the commercial hub of Dubai was paralysed for several days. Scientists of the World Weather Attribution network said the intense rains were 'most likely' exacerbated by global warming. 'We couldn't enjoy it because it was flooded all over UAE,' Anagha said. 'This time we are going to see... rain coming to us in the desert.' — AFP

Saskatchewan farmers will need more rain soon to avoid deteriorating crops: report
Saskatchewan farmers will need more rain soon to avoid deteriorating crops: report

CTV News

time17 hours ago

  • Climate
  • CTV News

Saskatchewan farmers will need more rain soon to avoid deteriorating crops: report

Saskatchewan farmers are moving into the next phase of crop production after finishing getting their seeds in the ground last week. Now, according to the Ministry of Agriculture's latest crop report Thursday, producers across the province begin spraying their fields to keep the pests at bay and hauling grain to free up storage space for harvest. So far so good, but whether those seedlings thrive or begin to deteriorate in condition all depends on one key factor — rain. 'There were some isolated showers over the past week, with some areas seeing heavy rain and hail,' the ministry said in a news release. 'While the moisture was welcome, the intensity of these storms left some crops damaged.' The ministry says the Meadow Lake area had the heaviest reported rainfall over the week, at 64 millimetres. The Coleville, Bruno and Prince Albert areas also reported substantial rainfall. Much of the province received small, spotty rains, the ministry says, contributing to a province-wide decline in topsoil moisture conditions. Forty-five per cent of Saskatchewan's cropland has topsoil rated as short of moisture, and 14 per cent is rated very short. Just one per cent of cropland has a surplus of moisture, the province says, and 40 per cent is rated adequate. In the hay lands, 34 per cent of top soil moisture is rated adequate, 41 per cent short, and 25 per cent very short. Just 27 per cent of pasture lands are rated at adequate moisture levels, with 42 per cent short and 31 per cent very short. Most crops appear to be normal in their development for this time of year, the ministry says. 'However, many producers are reporting that without rain soon crop development will be delayed on later seeded crops and hastened for the more advanced crops as they respond to the drier conditions.' Mainly, the ministry says crop conditions across the province are rated as fair to good, but that could change if more rain doesn't come soon. 'Dry conditions coupled with windy days continues to be the largest source of crop damage and severity ranges from minor to moderate depending on the region.' Scattered hail events this week contributed to some crop damage, also varying widely in severity. The ministry says fall seeded crops in later development stages sustained the most damage and are unlikely to recover, 'but less advanced crops should be able to bounce back.' The ministry says producers are reporting issues with grasshoppers and flea beetles, but those concerns range from minor to moderate and are being dealt with. Read the full report online here.

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