WMOD00390

• Title: A Proposed Wintertime Weather Modification Research Program for Colorado
• Date: 1/1/1980
• State: CO
• Weather Modification - Doc Type: Report

track all sondes used in obtaining these atmospheric soundings to
the 300 mb level or higher.
All surface precipitation data records would be reduced as
accurately a.s possible by the contractor responsible for the
installation and operation of the precipitation observation network
(possibly a separate contractor from the seeding contractor in
order to eliminate any possible bias). It is recommended that
procedures that have been established by the WPRS for the pro-
cessing of precipitation data be obtained and utilized. This area
of work is very important as the evaluation for effects froln the
program's seeding operations depends upon the accuracy of the
hourly precipitation data as reduced from the strip-chart records.
The additional surface meteorological data would also be
reduced by this contractor for periods 12 hours prior to the
beginning of a selected weather event to 12 hours after the end
of the selected weather event. Data outside of this period of
interest would not be required to be analyzed for input into the
evaluation of the program.

c. Program Research Evaluation Requirements
Program evaluation is an essential part of the proposed
comprehensive program plan. The evaluation will be directed
toward satisfactorily answering some of the important questions
and uncertainties that currently surround winter weather modi-
fication programs. The program evaluation effort will concentrate
on analyses to detect possible changes in precipitation due to
cloud seeding operations both within and surrounding the project
area. Other areas that will be evaluated include sociological
and environmental concerns, and the overall economic benefit
derived from the augmented winter precipitation when compared to
the costs associated with an operational weather modification
program. All of these areas are addressed in the following
paragraphs.
l. Precipitation
The evaluation or comparison of observed precipitation in the
program's total area of effect for both seeded and non-seeded
events should be accomplished by two methods. First, an evaluation

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