Precipitation Enhancement by Aerial Cloud Seeding Using Charged Water Droplets

Charged water droplets with radii greater than 30 microns (median value) have been used to seed continental cumulus clouds over West Texas to enhance collision-coalescence efficiencies with the subsequent growth of more raindrops and then a precipitation enhancement effect. Seeding operations followed the same design already in place for hygroscopic seeding using CaCl₂-flares and TITAN was used for decision making and further evaluations. Preliminary results showed that clouds seeded with the charged water droplets exceeded the results of conventional pyrotechnic seeding using both glaciogenic and hygroscopic flares.