Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — The National Center for Meteorology (NCM) has revealed the statistics of rain seeding operations in three Saudi regions in the months of August and September.

The NCM said the areas that were targeted over the past two months included Taif, Al-Baha and Abha. This was done with the aim of increasing the rate of rainfall in these areas.

The statistics showed that the number of flight hours amounted to about 316, and resulted in the firing of more than 1867 torches. Four aircraft conducted a total of 84 flights during the operations.

The seeding technique is carried out in specific and designated places of clouds in order to contribute to changing the microphysical processes within the cloud itself.

The artificial rain seeding program is being introduced because Saudi Arabia is considered as one of the driest countries in the world, with no permanent water bodies such as rivers and lakes.

The Kingdom, through the program, will contribute to an adjustment of its weather by increasing the rainfall rate. The current rainfall in the country does not exceed 100 mm annually.

Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture and Chairman of the Board of Directors of NCM Eng. Abdulrahman Al-Fadhli inaugurated the first phase of cloud seeding operations in April this year. The second phase of the program began in August in the southwestern regions of Saudi Arabia.