UAE Research Programme for Rain Enhancement Science participates in AMS 2026 in Houston

emirates7 - The UAE Research Programme for Rain Enhancement Science (UAEREP) participated in the 2026 Annual Meeting of the American Meteorological Society (AMS), held in Houston, Texas, from 25th to 29th January 2026.

The meeting brought together scientists, researchers, policymakers, and industry experts to exchange knowledge and discuss the latest advances in atmospheric, oceanic, and hydrologic sciences.

During the event, the UAEREP delegation held stakeholder meetings and visited universities in Texas, including the Department of Atmospheric Sciences at Texas A&M University, to strengthen academic and research cooperation and explore future collaboration in weather modification and climate science.

Awardees from the third, fourth, and fifth cycles of UAEREP made a significant contribution to the scientific programme of AMS 2026. These included Dr. Lulin Xue, Prof. Daniel Rosenfeld, Prof. Will Cantrell, and members of their research teams, who delivered scientific presentations across multiple conference sessions, highlighting UAEREP-supported work in cloud microphysics, aerosol-cloud interactions and precipitation enhancement.

“Participation in major international scientific forums such as AMS Annual Meeting strengthens this commitment by enhancing UAEREP’s collaboration with leading research institutions and scientific experts, enabling the exchange of knowledge, informed scientific dialogue, and the showcasing of the UAE’s progress in rain enhancement research," said Dr. Abdulla Al Mandous, President of the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) and Director-General of the National Centre of Meteorology (NCM).

Alya Al Mazrouei, Director of UAEREP and Director of the Research and Weather Enhancement Department at the NCM, said the meeting provided an opportunity to present project outcomes and engage with the global scientific community on future initiatives, including the seventh cycle of the programme and the eighth International Rain Enhancement Forum.

On the sidelines of the conference, the UAEREP delegation met with Dr. Ehsan Erfani, Research Professor of Atmospheric Sciences at the Desert Research Institute, to discuss progress in cloud microphysics and aerosol-cloud interactions, and potential collaboration to improve severe weather forecasting and climate modelling for arid and semi-arid regions.

The delegation also met with Dr. Greg McFarquhar, Director of the Cooperative Institute for Severe and High Impact Weather Research and Operations at the University of Oklahoma, to explore collaboration on cloud microphysical processes and aerosol impacts on cloud water and energy budgets, including the integration of advanced instrumentation and modelling approaches relevant to precipitation enhancement in arid environments.

In addition, UAEREP held discussions with Prof. Youtong Zheng, Professor in the Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences at the University of Houston, to exchange views on recent advances in cloud physics modelling and their role in climate prediction and adaptation.