Dubai Airport Shuts Down Amid Heavy Rainfall and Flooding

There have been significant rainfall events in the Middle East recently. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) experienced historic rainfall on Tuesday, with up to 259.5mm (10.2in) recorded in some areas, surpassing any documented rainfall since 1949 (WAM). Speculation has arisen on social media regarding a possible connection between Dubai's cloud seeding research and this week's flooding, which caused at least 20 fatalities in both the UAE and Oman. In Al Ain city, a record-breaking 254mm of rainfall was recorded. The causes of these extreme weather events remain under investigation.

On April 16, Dubai experienced heavy rainfall that caused significant disruptions to its airport operations. According to various reports, the airport suspended operations for 25 minutes in the afternoon due to standing water on the apron. Departure flights continued during the evening but were delayed and cancelled. The airport confirmed a halt to arrivals at 7:26 pm (1526 GMT). The torrential rain paralyzed Dubai, the Middle East's financial center, causing floods across the UAE and Bahrain. More rain is expected into Wednesday.