Kerala expats in UAE use tech to chase rare desert rain and monsoon memories | VIDEO

When Muhammed Sajjad moved from Kerala to the United Arab Emirates in 2015, he found himself longing for the monsoon rains of his homeland. Determined to reconnect with that experience, the 35-year-old estate agent began a unique mission: chasing rare desert rain across the UAE.

Nostalgia turns into a high-tech pursuit

“It was peak monsoon time” in Kerala when he left, Sajjad recalled, and the change in climate left him unsettled. “So I started to search about the rain in the UAE and I came to know that there is rain in the summer.”

With the help of satellite imagery, weather data and technology, Sajjad began forecasting rainfall possibilities. His passion grew into a community movement, culminating in his Instagram platform “UAE Weatherman”, followed by 130,000 people.

Each week, Sajjad predicts where rain might fall and suggests a meeting point. Dozens join him on expeditions deep into the desert.

Chasing clouds, finding connection

Earlier this month, about 100 vehicles followed him from Sharjah to a forecasted rain spot. Though there is never a guarantee — “It may happen, it may not happen,” he noted — on that day, luck was on their side. A downpour greeted the convoy’s arrival.

Rain lovers jumped from their vehicles, joy lighting up their faces. “They feel nostalgic,” Sajjad said, watching as fellow expatriates relived memories of India’s monsoons.

Monsoon memories in a dry land

The UAE is home to around 3.5 million Indians — the Gulf country’s largest expatriate population. For many of them, monsoon rains evoke childhood, family, and a climate they deeply miss.

An Indian woman, identifying herself only as Anagha, said she was “excited to see the rain”. She added, “All of my family and friends are enjoying good rain and good climate and we are living here in the hot sun.”

The UAE experienced its hottest April on record this year. The previous April saw the country’s heaviest rainfall in 75 years, with 259.5 mm falling in one day. It paralysed Dubai, left four dead, and scientists from the World Weather Attribution group said the unprecedented event was “most likely” intensified by climate change.

“We couldn’t enjoy it because it was flooded all over UAE,” said Anagha. “This time we are going to see... rain coming to us in the desert.”

Rainfall: rare and climate-affected

Despite the UAE’s advances in cloud seeding, the country receives only 50 to 100 millilitres of rain annually, mostly in short winter storms. In summer, less than five millilitres fall — mostly far from the coast.

According to Diana Francis, climate scientist at Khalifa University in Abu Dhabi, “While long-term averages remain low, the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events has been increasing and is due to global warming.”

For Sajjad and his community of “rain lovers”, the search for clouds is about more than just weather. It’s a pursuit of belonging — and a way to bring a piece of Kerala to the desert.

With AFP inputs