Cloud seeding, hurricane reduction, moving storms. This isn’t part of a new movie, this is something Los Angeles tax dollars are paying for. Which makes one wonder, WTF?
LA County, in a time of recession, job loss, and many other money worries, has just approved $800,000 for a system that will change the weather. I’m definitely one for saving lives, property, and other problems that storms cause, but manipulating the weather? Doesn’t that seem like we’re kind of asking for unforeseen trouble?
If you’re wondering what I’m talking about, LA has approved something called “cloud seeding” for later this year. What this means is that scientists will begin a “process that artificially manipulates the weather in hopes of increasing rainfall.” Similar tactics may be used by the Department of Homeland Security in helping to weaken hurricanes.
Although this project is still in it’s baby stages, and scientists are unsure of what problems may arise from it, “the project is scheduled to begin this winter in the San Gabriel Mountains north of Los Angeles, the San Francisco Chronicle reports.” The urge to push “cloud seeding” comes from the statewide drought that California is suffering from.
The DHS has bigger plans for it though:
In theory, the idea is simple: Lower the temperature of the clouds, and scientists could weaken a hurricane or even alter its path. In one scenario, airplanes would spread a layer of soot into the icy clouds at the top of a storm system, cooling them further and slowing the winds. Cut those wind speeds even a little, scientists say, and the devastating power of a storm surge could be drastically cut, perhaps saving lives and property. [USNews]
But what happens to this soot that is being rained down on us? And what about the sociological problems that come with redirecting a storm, where would you redirect it to? A less populated area? There are very few areas with NO population. Would certain communities be targeted with extreme storms because of less population, lower income, or political sway? Who would decide this? And if we do send storms into area that are not supposed to have storms of a certain magnitude, what will be the results then?
The answer, no one knows. At least not yet. At the moment the pros seem to outweigh the cons, but for how long?
Photo by GISuser.com
Subscribe to our RSS Feed And checkout our coffee competition to win a $30 gift voucher to your favourite coffee shop : click here
(No Ratings Yet)
Loading ...
1 response so far ↓
1 Devon // Jun 18, 2008 at 8:16 pm
I was recently in Tasmania, and they have been cloud seeding for 40 years to run on almost all hydroelectric power.
I didn’t hear about any negative effects while I was there, except that it was wetter. I also saw about 12 rainbows in the three days I was there, so maybe our skies will be prettier…
Leave a Comment