Publication History & Scope
In the late 1940's and 1950's many deemed "the deliberate or the inadvertent alteration of atmospheric conditions by human activity", also known as weather modification, as a promising science of the future. Currently, the most common form of weather modification is cloud seeding, which increases rain or snow, usually for the purpose of increasing the local water supply. Weather modification can also have the goal of preventing damaging weather, such as hail or hurricanes, from occurring.
As part of Public Law 92-205 (1972), all non-Federal weather modification activities must be reported to the U.S. Secretary of Commerce, via the NOAA Weather Program Office. Below is a list of these reports and is updated on a quarterly basis.
As required by that law, NOAA submitted a Report to Congress in 1979, available via the NOAA Library.
Persons subject to reporting.
As stated in Vol. 83, No. 19 of the Federal Register dated Monday, January 29, 2018, the Department of Commerce and the National Atmospheric and Administration requires that persons who engage in weather modification activities in the United States shall provide reports prior to and after the activity. This is Section 6(b) of Public Law 92–205.
All non-Federal weather modification activities must be reported to the U.S. Secretary of Commerce, via the NOAA Weather Program Office. All reports submitted to NOAA are compiled and then posted on the NOAA Library Website
Activities subject to reporting.
(a)The following, when conducted as weather modification activities, shall be subject to reporting:
- Seeding or dispersing of any substance into clouds or fog, to alter drop size distribution, produce ice crystals or coagulation of droplets, alter the development of hail or lightning, or influence in any way the natural development cycle of clouds or their environment;
- Using fires or heat sources to influence convective circulation or to evaporate fog;
- Modifying the solar radiation exchange of the earth or clouds, through the release of gases, dusts, liquids, or aerosols into the atmosphere;
- Modifying the characteristics of land or water surfaces by dusting or treating with powders, liquid sprays, dyes, or other materials;
- Releasing electrically charged or radioactive particles, or ions, into the atmosphere;
- Applying shock waves, sonic energy sources, or other explosive or acoustic sources to the atmosphere;
- Using aircraft propeller downwash, jet wash, or other sources of artificial wind generation; or
- Using lasers or other sources of electromagnetic radiation.
(b)In addition to the activities listed above, other similar activities falling within the definition of weather modification as set forth in § 908.1 are also subject to reporting.
In addition to the activities listed above, other similar activities falling within the definition of weather modification as set forth in § 908.1 are also subject to reporting.
(c)The requirement for reporting shall not apply to activities of a purely local nature that can reasonably be expected not to modify the weather outside of the area of operation. This exception is presently restricted to the use of lightning deflection or static discharge devices in aircraft, boats, or buildings, and to the use of small heat sources, fans, fogging devices, aircraft downwash, or sprays to prevent the occurrence of frost in tracts or fields planted with crops susceptible to frost or freeze damage. Also expected from the requirement for reporting are religious activities or other ceremonies, rites and rituals intended to modify the weather.
(d)All activities noted in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section are subject to initial reporting. However, after the Administrator has received initial notification of a planned activity, he may waive some of the subsequent reporting requirements. This decision to waive certain reporting requirements will be based on the general acceptability, from a technical or scientific viewpoint, of the apparatus and techniques to be used.
(e) Other reporting exceptions may be made in the future by rule of the Administrator.
Is there a specific form to submit?
The following forms should be used:
- 17-4 - Initial Report on Weather Modification Activities (Approved Information collection 0684-0025)
- 17-4A - Interim Activity Reports and Final Report (Approved Information collection 0648-0025)
When creating your reports, please use the following coding system as your NOAA file name: year, state, first four digits of the project name, and the respective report number. For instance, for a project that takes place in 2021 in Maryland and is titled Rock Canyon, the code would be 2021MDROCK-1 (initial report) and 2021MDROCK-2 (final report). You may also use this naming convention to save your files prior to submitting.
Please submit reports via email to weather.modification@noaa.gov.
Contact Information
Please see our full MAINTAINING RECORDS AND SUBMITTING REPORTS ON WEATHER MODIFICATION ACTIVITIES for more information or you can contact the NOAA Weather Modification Team via weather.modification@noaa.gov.