Weather Control

Since the 1940s scientists have discovered techniques by which several weather conditions can be controlled. For example, it is pos­sible to prevent lightning by using an electrical earth to diffuse the electrical content of a cloud. The American scientist V. J. Schaefer has shown that it is feasible to produce greater concentrations of ice in clouds than occur under normal conditions.

Weather experts already are taking advantage of these dis­coveries to increase snowfall on mountains for winter sports, to prevent damaging hailstones and to moderate, or even prevent, the development of dangerous storms. Scientists are now able, in some cases, to make a cloud burst to produce rainfall over parched areas.

These local efforts may lead the way to large-scale weather con­trol. But before then scientists may have to learn to cope with the damaging effect of air pollu­tion on weather conditions.