Watch | Dubai sky turns green amid heavy rains, storms

A viral timelapse video showed Dubai’s skies turning green amid days of record rains across the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and neighbouring countries, that submerged roads and highways.

One video that viral on social media is a timelapse clip that shows the grey sky turning into hazy green, indicative of the rainstorm. The 23-second video, posted on April 17, carries the caption: “Sky turns green In Dubai! Actual footage from the storm in Dubai today.”

Sky Turns GREEN In DUBAI!

Actual footage from the storm in #Dubai today. pic.twitter.com/x8kQe85Lto

— Mister J. – مسٹر جے (@Angryman_J) April 16, 2024

What could be the cause behind the sky turning green?

As per a report by the University Of Wisconsin–Madison, research meteorologist Scott Bachmeier said, “When blue objects are illuminated with red light, they appear green. Green is significant, but not proof that a tornado is on the way. A green cloud will only occur if the cloud is very deep, which generally only occurs in thunderstorm clouds.”

What happened in UAE and neighbouring countries?

A massive storm that forecasters had been warning about for days blew through the country’s seven sheikhdoms. By the end of Tuesday, more than 142 millimeters (5.59 inches) of rainfall had soaked Dubai over 24 hours. This was the heaviest rainfall the UAE has seen since data collection on weather began in 1949. Traffic was disrupted, flights were cancelled, and schools were closed.

By Thursday, the UAE struggled to recover from the adverse weather event, while the Dubai International Airport allowed global carriers to again fly into Terminal 1 at the airfield.

People waded through oil-slicked floodwater to reach cars earlier abandoned, checking to see if their engines still ran. Tanker trucks with vacuums began reaching some areas outside of Dubai’s downtown core for the first time as well. Schools remain closed until next week.

What was the likely cause of record rains?

The flooding sparked speculation that the UAE’s aggressive campaign of cloud seeding — flying small planes through clouds dispersing chemicals aimed at getting rain to fall — may have contributed to the deluge.

Scientists also say climate change is responsible for more intense and more frequent extreme storms, droughts, floods and wildfires around the world.

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