What is cloud seeding?

Cloud seeding is a weather modification technique in which substances are dispersed into clouds to encourage or enhance precipitation, such as rain or snow. The most common agents used in cloud seeding are silver iodide, potassium iodide, and dry ice, which act as nuclei for water vapor to condense upon and form larger droplets or ice crystals.

How Cloud Seeding Works

• Particles (usually silver iodide or dry ice) are released into suitable clouds using aircraft or ground-based generators.
• These particles act as artificial nuclei, helping tiny water droplets in the cloud come together and form larger droplets or ice crystals.
• When the droplets or crystals become heavy enough, they fall as precipitation (rain, snow, or hail) to the ground.
• Cloud seeding is typically used to increase rainfall in drought-prone areas, enhance snowfall, disperse fog, or mitigate hail.

Important Points

• Cloud seeding only works on clouds that already have enough moisture; it cannot create clouds from clear skies.
• The effectiveness of cloud seeding can vary and remains a subject of ongoing scientific study, but it is widely used in many countries for water management and agriculture.
• Environmental impacts are considered minimal, as low concentrations of seeding materials are used, though some concerns and debates persist.