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Cloud Seeding

Cloud Seeding. Shawn Trueman, Intern National Weather Service Forecast Office Phoenix, AZ. overview. What is cloud seeding? My experience in cloud seeding Synoptic conditions for Sierra Nevada summertime convection Cloud-seeding tools Cloud-seeding demonstration.

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Cloud Seeding

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  1. Cloud Seeding Shawn Trueman, Intern National Weather Service Forecast Office Phoenix, AZ

  2. overview • What is cloud seeding? • My experience in cloud seeding • Synoptic conditions for Sierra Nevada summertime convection • Cloud-seeding tools • Cloud-seeding demonstration

  3. Cloud-seeding definitions The introduction of artificial substances (usually silver iodide or dry ice) into a cloud for the purpose of either modifying its development or increasing its precipitation. (Western Regional Climate Center)

  4. Encouragement of precipitation from clouds by freezing supercooled cloud droplets and speeding the Bergeron-Findeisen Process. (www.advancedforecasting.com)

  5. The attempt to change the amount or type of precipitation or the structure of clouds by dispersing substances into the air which allow water droplets or ice crystals to form more easily. The most common chemicals used for cloud seeding are silver iodide and dry ice. (Wikipedia)

  6. Why use dry ice and silver iodide? • Dry ice because it is so cold that it ice crystals form by spontaneous nucleation. first used as seeding agent by Vincent Schaefer at General Electric in Schenectady, NY in 1946. • Silver iodide provides nuclei that water vapor molecules can be deposited on. Its crystal structure is similar to that of water ice. first used as seeding agent by Bernard Vonnegut at General Electric in 1947.

  7. My cloud-seeding experience Radar meteorologist, Atmospherics, Inc., Fresno, California Summer 1997 Issued forecast for chance of showers/thunderstorms for western slope of the Sierra Nevada between Yosemite NP and Kings Canyon NP

  8. California

  9. Courtright Reservoir, western slope central Sierra Nevada USDA Forest Service

  10. Shaver Lake, western slope central Sierra Nevada

  11. If suitable convection developed, I guided flight via two-way radio and operated 5-cm radar at office.

  12. radar control (plan position indicator) at Atmospherics, Inc. David Newsom, AI

  13. radar dish at Atmospherics, Inc. David Newsome, AI

  14. Thunderstorm over central Sierra Nevada

  15. Thunderstorm clouds over Sierra Nevada from Fresno Laurence Kramer, Fresno

  16. 500-mb chart: July 19, 12Z

  17. 500-mb chart: July 20, 00Z

  18. 500-mb chart: July 20, 12Z

  19. 500-mb chart: July 21, 00Z

  20. 500-mb chart: July 21, 12Z

  21. Mercury, NV sounding

  22. Reno, NV sounding

  23. visible imagery: July 20, 2006 at 17Z

  24. cloud-seeding flares

  25. acetone-silver iodide generator attached to a Piper Aztec

  26. cloud-seeding flight in Utah Hector Vasquez, NWS Phoenix

  27. Fog at an airport in Alaska Hector Vasquez, NWS Phoenix

  28. Result of cloud seeding to disperse fog at airport in Alaska Hector Vasquez, NWS Phoenix

  29. With thanks to… Hector Vasquez, Senior Forecaster, NWS Phoenix Doug Green, Science Operations Officer, NWS Phoenix David Runyan, Warning Coordination Meteorologist, NWS Phoenix Kim Runk, Meteorologist-in-Charge, NWS Las Vegas Steve Johnson and David Newsom, Meteorologists, Atmospherics, Inc., Fresno, CA Michael Bruce, Observing Program Team Leader, NWS Phoenix Jon Skindlov, Senior Meteorologist, Salt River Project Dr. Peter Williams, Professor of Analytical Chemistry, Arizona State University David Brown, Information Technology Officer, NWS Phoenix

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