ASK THE METEOROLOGIST
“What is cloud seeding?”
Janine Muse
Connections Academy
Gold Hill
There are several types of cloud seeding, but the one done at the Rogue Valley International Medford Airport involves releasing a balloon that disperses crushed dry ice. Other ways include shooting a canister into the fog/clouds with silver iodide or dry ice or flying through/over the clouds to release the chemical. This chemical essentially provides a nuclei for ice/water droplets to form on and create larger droplets that can fall to the ground as snow, rain or even freezing rain. When fog/cloud molecules turn to rain or snow they disperse and clearer skies develop and planes are able to depart and land at the airport!