SALT LAKE CITY — For decades, cloud seeding has been a key strategy in Utah’s efforts to stretch its limited water supply. This winter, however, scientists are taking a closer look at whether the practice truly delivers measurable results.
Researchers from the University of Utah and Utah State University are leading the largest cloud seeding research project ever conducted in the state, with a focus on winter storms over the northern Wasatch Mountains.
Understanding Cloud Seeding’s Impact on Snowfall and Runoff
Cloud seeding involves injecting silver iodide into the atmosphere during a storm to generate additional precipitation. The goal of the research project is to better understand how cloud seeding affects snowfall and spring runoff.
Jim Steenburgh, a professor of atmospheric sciences at the University of Utah, explained that the study is designed to analyze the impact of cloud seeding on winter storms in the northern Wasatch and determine whether it significantly influences both snowfall and runoff.
“We’re trying to understand winter storms in the northern Wasatch and the impacts of cloud seeding on those storms,” Steenburgh said. “And whether or not it’s having a major impact on both snowfall and runoff.”
The study marks an unprecedented effort in the state, making it the largest field campaign to investigate mountain precipitation in Utah in at least two decades, and possibly the largest ever. The project utilizes a wide range of advanced, specialized instruments that are operating around the clock across the northern Wasatch.
State-of-the-Art Technology to Examine Cloud Properties
These instruments are far more sophisticated than typical weather sensors, designed to analyze the internal structure of winter storms. Some systems use laser-based technology to examine cloud properties, such as liquid water content and storm evolution.
Steenburgh emphasized the significance of these specialized tools: “These instruments are very different from typical weather instruments. They’re designed to tell us about the properties and characteristics of clouds.”
During seeded storms, the researchers are closely monitoring radar data and precipitation patterns to assess whether cloud seeding alters the structure of storms or increases snowfall totals. The study follows a major expansion of Utah’s cloud seeding program, which was launched in response to the Great Salt Lake reaching its lowest water levels on record in 2022.
Cloud Seeding Expansion and Long-Term Water Management
In light of ongoing water shortages, state leaders increased funding for cloud seeding, research, and infrastructure. The expansion of the program is part of a broader effort to address Utah’s long-term water supply concerns. Jonathan Jennings, a meteorologist with the Utah Division of Water Resources, explained the primary objective of the program: “The goal here is to increase the winter snowpack, which we know is our water supply during spring runoff.”
While long-term evaluations suggest that cloud seeding can increase precipitation by about six to twelve percent, Jennings highlighted the cumulative effect over time. “Over the course of a decade, that’s an additional half year to a year of snowpack,” he said.
Testing New Technology for Precision Cloud Seeding
In addition to traditional methods, researchers are also testing new drone technology that could allow for more precise cloud seeding. These drones would fly directly into specific areas of winter storms, providing more targeted seeding to maximize its effectiveness.
The data collection will continue through the spring runoff period, and scientists anticipate that their findings could lead to improvements in mountain weather forecasting and snowfall predictions. These advancements could even be beneficial for planning major events, such as the 2034 Winter Olympics, which will take place in Utah.
