February 12, 2024

Sofia McGrath

10th Grade

The Young Women's Leadership School of Queens

Have you ever wondered why it rains? What about if it is possible to make it rain? There is a science behind rain that you may be vaguely aware of, but there is so much detail and advancement in the field that the average person may not know about it. Recently, science has granted scientists the ability to cause it to rain or enhance its probability through a process referred to as “cloud seeding.”

Various factors contribute to the science behind rain. First, one must understand that clouds are the visible accumulations of tiny water droplets. Clouds form as surrounding moisture saturates the air to its dew point. Although clouds may form in various ways, such as through water evaporation from surfaces, water vapor must always undergo condensation, thus making the body of water droplets visible. Over time, the water droplets in the clouds continue to condense. However, for this process to occur, the water droplets need a “solid seed,” otherwise known as a “condensation nuclei” (crystal of ice, speck of pollen), to attach to. As condensation occurs, water droplets enlarge until they have an adequate amount of mass, which then allows the droplets to fall to the earth as rain. 

Understanding how rain occurs is critical to understanding cloud seeding. Cloud seeding or weather modification is a scientific technique to improve a cloud’s ability to produce rain. Every cloud does not produce rainfall, possibly due to a lack of condensation nuclei, or moisture to produce large enough droplets. Cloud seeding increases and/or hastens a cloud’s chances of producing rainfall through the introduction of ice nuclei into certain types of clouds for optimal condensation and droplet size. 

Cloud seeding is not a recent technology and has existed for decades. The goal of cloud seeding was to help “cure” areas with droughts and become a cheaper option for areas with dwindling water resources. An American chemist and meteorologist named Vincent J Schaefer was the first to perform cloud seeding experiments in 1946. Despite his experiment’s favorable results, this process was not considered effective and/or an immediate success at that time. However, it did manage to give rise to a debate on cloud seeding’s effectiveness, and possible impact. Cloud seeding’s efficacy has continued to be a subject of debate as many scientists are still unsure how well it works; there is a lack of substantial evidence to prove its effectiveness. There also continues to be concern about its environmental repercussions such as the altering of weather patterns. 

Taking these concerns into consideration, the question arises with much skepticism if cloud seeding is beneficial, or if it works. As previously mentioned, there are ongoing developments with this scientific technique as scientists are capable of addressing several issues with enhanced technology. An interview was conducted by Laurel Ruma of “MIT Technology Review,” interviewing Dr. Linda Zou- a professor of civil and environmental engineering at Khalifa University. In this interview, Dr. Zou acknowledges the outdatedness of techniques and information, mentioning how the materials have been around for a long time. Nevertheless, she goes on to explain that through advancements in nanotechnology and nanoscience, her team was working to design and engineer cloud-seeding materials with optimal properties to ensure the occurrence of condensation and maximize rainfall. This interview demonstrates continued advances in understanding and technology to further advance cloud seeding.

Cloud seeding has already been utilized in numerous countries and has proven to be conducive to some efforts to combat weather changes. For example, according to an account by Orkhan Huseynli, countries such as Russia and Thailand have successfully used cloud seeding to suppress wildfires and heat waves. Additionally, the United Emirates is actively using the technique to expand agricultural capabilities and battle extreme heat, while countries such as the USA, China, and Australia, are applying its potential for times of drought. 

There is a particular science behind rain and this process can be artificially mimicked using cloud seeding. While this technique existed decades before and there was not much evidence showing its effectiveness, through technological development, cloud seeding has great potential. This is indicated by its successful usage in various countries in response to the climate crisis. However, while it could be very beneficial to areas suffering from drought and extreme heat, it is important to acknowledge and acquire additional knowledge about the possible environmental implications. Although there are both pros and cons to cloud seeding, the advancement of this scientific technique certainly proves the significant development of humankind’s understanding of the natural world.