Cloud Seeding Data Available
Preliminary
data from the West Texas Weather Modification Association Target Area cloud
seeding operations, which includes Glasscock County, was recently made available
by WTWMA Meteorologist Jim Boyd. The summary was of 27 cases from February
through June 2000, in
which seeded clouds were compared with similar, but unseeded ones.
The
data shows that seeded clouds were kept alive 71 percent longer than unseeded
ones (the longer the cloud’s lifetime, the greater potential for rain).
Seeded clouds spread out horizontally 44 percent wider than unseeded ones, and
so covered more territory, and their overall volume was increased by almost
one-third.
The
height of the maximum reflectivity of a cloud was lowered after seeding, which
is considered beneficial in rainfall production. In addition, precipitation, as
seen on radar, was increased by 74 percent in the seeded clouds as compared to
the unseeded ones. (Precipitation seen on radar may or may not end as
ground-level precipitation).
Boyd emphasized that these figures are preliminary, and additional research must be done before they can be considered valid. He said, however, the figures “are certainly favorable.”