In the UAE, cloud seeding first began as in 2010 as a project by weather authorities to create artificial rain.[2] The project, which began in July 2010 and cost US$11 million, has been successful in creating rain storms in the Dubai and Abu Dhabi deserts.[3] Forecasters and scientists have estimated that cloud seeding operations can enhance rainfall by as much as 30 to 35 per cent in a clear atmosphere, and by up to 10 to 15 per cent in a turbid atmosphere.[4] In 2014, A total of 187 missions were sent to seed clouds in the UAE with each aircraft taking about three hours to target five to six clouds at a cost of $3,000 per operation.[5] 2017 had 214 missions,[6] 2018 184 missions, and 2019 had 247 missions.[7]