Delhi winter unsuitable for cloud seeding: IIT-D

Delhi's atmosphere in the winter months, when pollution levels are highest and necessitate interventions, is climatologically unsuitable for “consistent” and “effective” cloud seeding, the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Delhi, said in a study on Friday.

- Jasjeev Gandhiok and Aheli Das

It said the exercise was not feasible, citing a lack of sufficient moisture and saturation during peak winter, particularly in December and January, unless there is impetus from a western disturbance.

Even then, viable “windows of opportunity” are rare and confined to specific anomalous events, the report said.

“There is a fundamental lack of sufficient moisture and saturation during the peak pollution months... coinciding precisely when intervention is most needed. Even on days identified as potentially promising (e.g., cloudy WD days without rain), a multicriteria Moisture Suitability Index (MSI) indicates they frequently lack the necessary combination of moisture depth, saturation, and atmospheric lift required for successful seeding...” the report said.