Would cloud seeding work in Australia?

Several dynamic cloud seeding experiments have been conducted in the USA, the most notable of which was the Florida Area Cumulus Experiment, FACE (Simpson, 1980). However, extensive dynamic cloud seeding experiments have not been conducted in Australia.

Why is cloud seeding not used in Australia?

These conditions are most common in mountainous areas. This is a problem for much of the Australian mainland, including Perth, which is predominantly flat and therefore generally not conducive to cloud seeding. The most successful cloud seeding to date has been conducted in Tasmania, mainly in the mountainous west.

Can cloud seeding stop wildfires?

While the production of 10-15\% more rainfall is good for the snowpack in the mountains, it’s not enough to stop the fires. The DRI Cloud Seeding Research Program often chooses to rocket silver iodide into the clouds during the months between November and May.

What is cloud seeding and how is it done?

Cloud seeding is a weather modification technique that improves a cloud’s ability to produce rain or snow by artificially adding condensation nuclei to the atmosphere, providing a base for for snowflakes or raindrops to form.

Does smoke form cloud?

Smoke from wildfires in the western United States causes water molecules in the atmosphere to form large numbers of small droplets inside clouds, brightening the clouds and potentially affecting local weather and climate. Smoke particles can serve as seeds around which water condenses.

Does cloud seeding reduce rain?

A long-term and well-designed cloud seeding program can potentially soften the impact of drought, however, since increased precipitation before and after drought would temper the reduction of rainfall during the drought period.

Who made cloud seeding?

Vincent J. Schaefer
The first experiments with cloud seeding were conducted in 1946 by American chemist and meteorologist Vincent J. Schaefer, and since then seeding has been performed from aircraft, rockets, cannons, and ground generators.

Why don’t we use cloud seeding to put out bushfires?

In Australia, these are usually orthographic clouds – formed by mountainous terrain forcing air upwards. So you need mountains to make it rain as well. And those mountains must be located in a pristine atmosphere, so cloud seeding to put out bushfires is also not an option.

Why is cloud seeding not an option for drought-ravaged Australia?

Cloud seeding not an option for drought-ravaged Australia 1 Orthographic clouds. In Australia, these are usually orthographic clouds – formed by mountainous terrain forcing air upwards. 2 Difficult to measure. This, however, has not daunted the UAE, not known for its sprawling alpine regions and pristine mountain air. 3 Limited success.

When did cloud seeding start in Australia?

Cloud seeding started in Australia after WWII in NSW and experiments ran intermittently in several state with the most recent cases I am aware of being in WA in the early 80’s and northern NSW in 1994/5.

Why are wildfires so difficult to stop?

But it’s made harder by fire. “Even when you do have a cloud to seed, the cloud contains all this ash; very, very tiny particles, so it’s hard to put enough material into the cloud to get them turned around to get them large enough to form drops to get them on the ground,” said Woodley. It’s wind that makes wildfires the most destructive.