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<br />EXECUT lVE SUMMARY <br /> <br />Weather modification has the potential for improving atmospheric <br />conditions for the benefit of society - by enhancing precipitation to augment <br />water supplies and by mitigating the adverse effects of severe weather. <br />Several years of research have produced limited successes in weather <br />modification. Holes can be made in supercooled stratus cloud and fog by <br />seeding, and fog can be dissipated by heating. Under proper conditions, <br />precipitation can be enhanced. in supercooled winter clouds. Less certain but <br />promising results have been achieved in summertime shower clouds. <br /> <br />The goal of the National Weather Modification Program is to develop <br />weather modification technologies that not only are reliable and economically <br />beneficial but also are environmentally sound and socially acceptable. This <br />plan defines a well-coordinated research and development program to attain <br />that goal through: <br /> <br />o Fundamental research to provide the knowledge needed to put weather <br />modification on a firm scientific basis. <br /> <br />o Well-designed field programs that address site-specific weather- <br />related problems. <br /> <br />o Interdisciplinary studies aimed at understanding and resolving the <br />important societal and environmental implications of weather <br />modification. <br /> <br />This plan focuses only on intentional weather modification. It <br />recommends that research on inadvertent weather modification, such as that <br />caused by cities and power plants, be the subject of a future plan. <br /> <br />Attempts are now being made to modify the weather deliberately in a <br />variety of ways. Cloud seeding is employed commercially in many parts of this <br />country in efforts to clear winter fog from airports, augment snowpacks in <br />mountain regions, inc~ease rain from summer showers, and reduce destruction <br />from hail. Experiments in the atmosphere have also yielded encouraging <br />results in the area of hurricane moderation. <br /> <br />Much more knowledge is needed, however, before human intervention in <br />these complex atmospheric processes will produce consistently predictable <br />results. A coordinated long-term research and development program is <br />necessary to supply many of the missing answers. In recent years, many nef"; <br />research tools have been developed for investigating a~ospheric phenomena. <br />Increased computer power and more realistic numerical models offer much better <br />opportunities to address crucial questions concerning interactions between <br />clouds and be~Neen cloud systems and their environment. Greatly improved <br />remote sensing techniques are useful for studying a variety or cloud <br />phenomena. Instrumented aircraft are used to make direct measurements of many <br />important cloud and environment variables. In addition, an adequate supply or <br />scientific talent is available ~thin the U.S. scientific community to proceed <br />with a sound research and development program. <br /> <br />., .. , <br />....- <br />