How Cloud Seeding Boosts Rainfall — and Why That’s Controversial

Humans started using chemicals to supercharge the capacity of clouds to release rain and snow decades ago, and the technology is gaining new traction as climate change makes some regions hotter and drier. While popular in some countries, including the US, cloud seeding is controversial because it can have unintended consequences such as too much rain and increased pollution. Dubai experienced record rainfall leading to flooding April 16 after cloud seeding, though meteorologists said it was unlikely that had a significant impact on the rainfall.

The debate around modifying and controlling the weather, also referred to as geoengineering the planet, has intensified as clean technologies and reductions in greenhouse gas emissions prove insufficient to halt global warming. Those in favor argue that dealing with the climate crisis is so urgent that no option should be left out, while those opposed warn of a lack of regulation, unforeseen side effects and a shift of focus away from advancing the transition to clean energy.