Cloud Seeding Impact on Recent Floods in Iran Denied

EghtesadOnline: Recent flash floods had nothing to do with the ongoing cloud seeding programs in the country, said the head of the National Cloud Seeding Research Center of Iran.

News ID: ۷۴۷۱۱۱

22 April 2019

Following rumors on social media about the effect of cloud seeding on the heavy rainfall across the country, Farid Golkar told the Persian daily ‘Iran’ that  the "NCSRC is developing infrastructure and the last time we carried out an operation goes back to 2017."

According to Golkar, despite the fact that cloud seeding can increase rainfall, the scope is very limited and cannot exceed more than 140 kilometers, Financial Tribune reported.

"Put simply, it is impossible to increase precipitation all over the country with the help of this technology. In the best case scenario it might work in a limited region."

The official said NCSRC had plans to undertake work in summer in Yazd, Isfahan, Kerman and Fars provinces. “But due to the recent floods the project has been delayed.”

Heavy rainfall began three weeks ago, overflowing rivers, washing away bridges, inundating houses and destroying infrastructure in 24 provinces, especially Golestan, Lorestan and Khuzestan.

"NCSRC is committed to keeping abreast of modern technology and the current tragedy (floods) that is rooted in ecological changes will not disrupt our research and development projects," he noted.

Other experts, including the head of Forecasting and Early Warning Office at the Iran Meteorological Organization, Ahad Vazifeh, say linking the recent  downpours and cloud seeding has no basis in scientific research.

"There is no evidence to show that cloud seeding can lead to heavy rains in a vast area," Vazifeh said, adding that Iran's neighbors namely Iraq and Afghanistan have also been hit by flash floods in the same period.

Cloud seeding, a form of weather modification, is a way of attempting to change the amount or type of precipitation by dispersing substances into the air, which serve as cloud condensation or ice nuclei, and alter the cloud's microphysical processes.