Chasing the rain in the United Arab Emirates

Outside a mountain village in the northern outskirts of the United Arab Emirates, clouds suddenly crowded out the white-hot sun that bakes this desert nation in the summer months.

Fierce winds blew over planters and pushed a dumpster down the street. And then came the most infrequent visitor of all - rain.

Rainfall long has fascinated the people of the UAE.

That includes both the country's locals and its vast population of foreign workers, many coming from homes in the Indian subcontinent who grew up with monsoon deluges.

With some four million people now estimated to be living in Dubai alone compared to around 255,000 in 1980, pressure on water consumption continues.

The UAE, home to an estimated 10 million people, sits along both the Persian Gulf to its north and west and the Gulf of Oman to the east.

The stone Hajar Mountains separate it from neighbouring Oman. Along the southern borders of the Arabian Peninsula, monsoon rains can hit seaside areas of Oman and Yemen.

But the vast desert stretch of the peninsula, known as the Empty Quarter, has a weather pattern that keeps the clouds out.

That means little to no rain, sometimes for years at a time in some areas.

That mean the country relies heavily on some 70 desalination plants to supply drinking water, as well as drip irrigation for plants that can rely on recycled wastewater.

Dams have also been built in recent years to catch and store water runoff.

Despite this, the UAE ranks seventh worldwide for being at risk for water scarcity, according to the World Resources Institute.

Groundwater reservoirs have been known to be under pressure for years.

The UAE also has been “cloud seeding” for years, flying aircraft to release chemicals into clouds to try to induce rains.

“Water is more important than oil,” Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the leader of the UAE and ruler of Abu Dhabi, reportedly said back in 2011.

That's particularly true in Dubai, with its booming population.

On a recent Saturday, Muhammed Sajjad Kalliyadan Poil looked to the skies in the eastern deserts of the UAE.

Directly above him was a cumulonimbus cloud, looking rain heavy and ready to drop. That was the one, he said.

Leading others, Kalliyadan Poil drove to the outskirts of Masafi, a village in the Hajar Mountains nestled between Fujairah and Ras al-Khaimah.

He has grown famous over time as the “UAE Weatherman" on Instagram.

"We're from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh — all tropical countries. We are getting so much rain [there]. So when we come to Dubai, a dry area, we miss rain always," he said.

"So we are always expecting a single drop of rain, if a drop comes it gives a lot of happiness, a lot of memories, nostalgic moments," he explained.