Editing Weather modification (section)

==Cloud seeding==
{{main|Cloud seeding}}
[[File:Cloud Seeding.svg|thumb|left|upright=1.3|Cloud seeding can be done by ground generators (left) or planes]]
Cloud seeding is a common technique to enhance precipitation. Cloud seeding entails spraying small particles, such as [[silver iodide]], onto clouds to attempt to affect their development, usually with the goal of increasing precipitation. Cloud seeding only works to the extent that there is already water vapor present in the air. Critics generally contend that claimed successes occur in conditions which were going to lead to rain anyway. It is used in a variety of drought-prone countries, including the [[United States]], [[China]], [[India]], and [[Russia]]. In [[China]], there is a perceived dependency upon it in dry regions, and there is a strong suspicion it is used to "wash the air" in dry and heavily polluted places, such as Beijing.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Guo|first1=Xueliang|last2=Fu|first2=Danhong|last3=Li|first3=Xingyu|last4=Hu|first4=Zhaoxia|last5=Lei|first5=Henchi|last6=Xiao|first6=Hui|last7=Hong|first7=Yanchao|date=February 2015|title=Advances in Cloud Physics and Weather Modification in China|url=https://journals-scholarsportal-info.libaccess.lib.mcmaster.ca/pdf/02561530/v32i0002/230_aicpawmic.xml|journal=Advances in Atmospheric Sciences|publisher=SCIENCE PRESS|volume=32|issue=2|pages=230–249|doi=10.1007/s00376-014-0006-9|s2cid=123262627|via=Web of Science|access-date=February 10, 2019|archive-date=November 21, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211121231433/https://libraryssl.lib.mcmaster.ca/libaccess/login.php?url=https%3a%2f%2fjournals.scholarsportal.info%2fpdf%2f02561530%2fv32i0002%2f230_aicpawmic.xml|url-status=live|url-access=subscription}}</ref> In mountainous areas of the United States such as the Rocky Mountains and Sierra Nevada,<ref>{{cite web|author=Hunter, Steven M.| publisher=U.S. Bureau of Reclamation| title=Optimizing Cloud Seeding for Water and Energy in California. California Energy Commission, PIER Energy-Related Environmental Research Program. CEC-500-2007-008 | url=http://www.energy.ca.gov/2007publications/CEC-500-2007-008/CEC-500-2007-008.PDF | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090501185630/http://energy.ca.gov/2007publications/CEC-500-2007-008/CEC-500-2007-008.PDF |archive-date=2009-05-01}}</ref> cloud seeding has been employed since the 1950s.

[[Project Stormfury#Project Cirrus|Project Cirrus]] was an attempt by [[General Electric]] to modify the weather which ran from 1947-1952. During that time, under the supervision of the [[United States Air Force]], attempts were made to create snowstorms and seed hurricanes by using [[silver iodide]]. While General Electric reported positive results, they also acknowledged that their experiments were controversial.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.alachuacounty.us/Depts/epd/EPAC/General%20Electric%20History%20Of%20Project%20Cirrus%20July%201952%20ORIGINAL.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190301075951/https://www.alachuacounty.us/Depts/epd/EPAC/General%20Electric%20History%20Of%20Project%20Cirrus%20July%201952%20ORIGINAL.pdf |archive-date=2019-03-01 | title=History of Project Cirrus}}</ref>

The [[United Arab Emirates]] has been cloud seeding since the 2000s and aims to increase rainfall by 15-30% per year. The materials used are potassium chloride, sodium chloride, magnesium, and other materials.<ref>{{Citation|last=The National|title=Cloud seeding: How the UAE gets creative to increase rainfall|date=2018-01-18|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8GQAXxmiSdk|access-date=2019-07-20|archive-date=January 12, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200112142948/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8GQAXxmiSdk|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="independent.co.uk">{{cite news|url=http://www.independent.co.uk/news/long_reads/cloud-seeding-weather-control-manipulate-effects-chemicals-climate-change-a8160146.html|title=Is cloud seeding the answer to our unstable weather?|date=2018-01-17|website=The Independent|language=en|access-date=2019-07-20|archive-date=July 20, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190720210220/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/long_reads/cloud-seeding-weather-control-manipulate-effects-chemicals-climate-change-a8160146.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

=== Consequences ===
==== Societal ====
Not having adequate systems to handle weather modification may have disastrous consequences. "In the city of Jeddah in Western Saudi Arabia was damaged by floods in 2009 that reportedly killed more than 100 people; igniting questions of why the country doesn't have effective drainage systems in place."<ref name="independent.co.uk"/>

==== Human ====
The U.S. National Library of Medicine notes that the silver iodide has no known "ill effects" on people, although people's "hands may have remained yellowed for weeks" after being exposed to it.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://toxnet.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/sis/search2/r?dbs+hsdb:@term+@DOCNO+2930|title=TOXNET|website=toxnet.nlm.nih.gov|access-date=2019-07-20|archive-date=July 20, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190720204705/https://toxnet.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/sis/search2/r%3Fdbs%2Bhsdb:@term%2B@DOCNO%2B2930|url-status=live}}</ref>{{clear}}