[truculent]

Are there any known side-effects of inducing rain in an unusual place like this? The weather is a complex system, so I hesitate to speculate too much, but would it reduce rainfall elsewhere?

With geopolitical tensions rising over rights to the Nile, I wonder if rainfall patterns could follow a similar trend.

[bigbassroller]

The amazon rain forest relies on minerals blown from dust storms in the Sahara desert, so therefore terraforming the Sahara would have a negative effect on the amazon. Source https://youtu.be/2hmAeLYMrQg

[edgyquant]

While this is true there’s a huge difference between adding rain to Dubai and terraforming the Sahara.

[treeman79]

Wait 20,000 years and they’ll swap positions.

https://phys.org/news/2019-01-sahara-swung-lush-conditions-y...

[mrweasel]

> would it reduce rainfall elsewhere?

It will. I think it was The Economist, but it might have been some other magazine, who had an article recently, regarding Chinas usage of cloud seeding.

You're potentially "stealing" rain from other countries or regions. If it was just going into the ocean, then maybe it's fine, but if you're stealing it from a neighbouring country.

[pier25]

This reminded me of the "I drink your milkshake" scene from "There Will Be Blood".

[singlow]

For which the quote happened to be on last night's jeopardy...

[eurasiantiger]

… strangely, this reminded me of the ”There will be milkshake” scene from ”I Drink Your Blood”.

[imapeopleperson]

I wonder if China over-seeded and caused an impact in the American West.

[lyaa]

Not in this case.

The vast majority of the population of the UAE lives in coastal cities and that is where the rain is induced. To the east, west, and north you have large bodies of water and to the south a (mostly) empty desert.

[bostonsre]

It sucks for places downstream of the jet stream. It could be good to end wildfires and droughts in California and Oregon but can't imagine the states to the east will be too happy.

[theonlybutlet]

Perhaps saltiness?