Artificial Rain (Cloud Seeding)
Artificial rain is also called cloud seeding. Making artificial rain is a scientific process. Artificial clouds are created before making artificial rain. Then after reaching the top via plane or helicopter, silver iodide is added to the clouds. Silver iodide is just like natural snow. Due to this, the water in the clouds becomes heavy and it rains. It takes about an hour to complete this process but its success depends on the specific weather conditions.
Why is Artificial Rain created ?
Due to climate change, people are facing extreme heat and drought. Artificial rain is being suggested to deal with the problem of extreme heat and drought., artificial rain is used to control forest fires, reduce the size of hail and improve air quality. More than 50 countries have started making suggestions for artificial rain.
At which places artificial rain has been made ?
China created artificial rain before the start of the 2008 Beijing Olympics to combat drought in the United States and fog around airports and was used to address water shortages in the United Arab Emirates. Cloud seeding has been used in many other states in India including Karnataka and Maharashtra.
What effect does Artificial Rain have on the Environment ?
Silver iodide is used to create artificial rain, it is not known to be a chemical that harms people’s health. However, concerns are being raised about the impact on the environment, especially the impact on the ecosystem and water quality and the change in natural patterns of rainfall.