Why aren cloud seeding technologies being deployed?
Cloud seeding is a way to artificially increase rainfall from clouds. It may involve attempting to produce rain when it would not normally fall or increasing rainfall over a particular region. Clouds can be seeded with a variety of materials including silver iodide particles, dry ice pellets or salt. Seeding is either done from a plane or from the ground depending on the material. Many years of research in Australia indicate that cloud seeding can increase rainfall. However, the conditions required for it to work occur relatively infrequently and CSIRO research suggests the only regions in Australia where cloud seeding would effectively increase rainfall is where air rises over mountains. CSIRO research indicates cloud seeding is effective in Tasmania but experiments on the Australian mainland have been controversial or inconclusive. Research also shows the inland plains of South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales are not suitable for cloud seeding. The length of time needed for a
