Delhi Cloud Seeding Project 2025: Artificial Rain to Combat Air Pollution
Delhi had planned India's first artificial rain trial, from July 4 to 11. But just days before launch, it was postponed. The irony? The monsoon clouds weren't good enough for rain .So, what exactly was the plan? And why does it matter? Under a ₹3.21 crore project, the Delhi Environment Department, along with IIT Kanpur, wanted to seed clouds using a modified Cessna 206-H aircraft. The idea? To wash out harmful pollutants, especially PM2.5 and PM10 from the air.
Now, you may ask what these are. PM2.5 and PM10 are microscopic particles, 2.5 and 10 micrometres wide, small enough to reach deep into your lungs and bloodstream. They're major contributors to Delhi's toxic air. Here's how cloud seeding works. The aircraft releases a mix of silver iodide, iodised salt, and rock salt into the clouds, specifically nimbostratus clouds at altitudes between 500 and 6,000 metres. This chemical blend triggers raindrop formation and that rain helps clean the air below. Each flight lasts about 90 minutes and covers around 100 square kilometres.
The target zones? Some of Delhi's most polluted areas, Rohini, Bawana, Alipur, Burari, and even parts of western UP like Loni and Baghpat .The project has approvals from the India Meteorological Department and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation. Flights will avoid VIP zones and restricted airspace, and follow all aviation rules. Five flights are planned. After each, pollution levels will be measured to track the impact.
This trial is part of Delhi's 2025–26 Environment Action Plan, which includes, AI-based pollution enforcement, anti-smog guns, real-time dust monitoring and cleaner public transport. Cloud seeding has been used in various countries, with mixed but measurable outcomes.
In the United States, especially in Colorado and Nevada, cloud seeding has been practised for decades to boost snowfall and support water supplies. Independent evaluations show a 5–15% increase in precipitation a modest but valuable gain, particularly in drought-prone regions.
China has used cloud seeding extensively, not just for drought management, but also to clear skies ahead of major events, like the 2008 Beijing Olympics. While the government reports success, many international experts say it's difficult to quantify exactly how effective these efforts are, due to the complex nature of weather systems.
The United Arab Emirates runs one of the world's most aggressive and advanced cloud seeding programs, conducting over 200 missions annually. Recent studies suggest an average increase of about 22–30% in rainfall, with some localised areas seeing even more.
However, following record floods in April 2024, the UAE's heaviest rainfall in 75 years, some speculated that cloud seeding was to blame. In Russia, cloud seeding is typically used for short-term, ceremonial purposes, like ensuring clear skies for parades and public events. Officials say it's been consistently effective for these limited applications.
So, why the delay in Delhi? Despite active monsoon conditions, the current clouds don't have the right moisture content for seeding .The new window? August 30 to September 10, but again, it all depends on the weather.
If it works, this could be a game-changer in how Indian cities fight air pollution. But for now, all eyes are on the skies.
Presentation & Editing: Vishnoo Jotshi
Video: Aniket Singh Chauhan
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
an hour ago
- Business Standard
Heavy rains lash Rudraprayag, landslide alert for Uttarkashi, Chamoli
Heavy rainfall hit parts of Rudraprayag district on Monday morning following warnings from the Geological Survey of India (GSI) and the India Meteorological Department (IMD). The State Emergency Operations Centre (SEOC) in Uttarakhand on Sunday issued a high-alert landslide warning for four districts---Tehri, Uttarkashi, Rudraprayag, and Chamoli districts. The alert, dated July 6, warned of potential landslides on July 7 and 8 in several subdivisions, including Chamoli, Rudraprayag, Ukhimath, Ghansali, Narendra Nagar, Dhanaulti, Dunda, and Chinyalisaur. Rudraprayag Police also shared the rain warning on X and posted, "The Geological Survey Department of the Government of India has issued a warning on July 7, 2025, for a high likelihood of landslides in Tehri, Uttarkashi, Rudraprayag, and Chamoli districts. Additionally, the India Meteorological Department has indicated the possibility of heavy to very heavy rainfall in Uttarkashi and Rudraprayag districts." भारत सरकार के भूवैज्ञानिक सर्वेक्षण विभाग द्वारा 7 जुलाई 2025 को टिहरी, उत्तरकाशी, #रुद्रप्रयाग और चमोली जिलों के लिए भूस्खलन की उच्च सम्भावना की चेतावनी जारी की गई है। साथ ही भारत मौसम विज्ञान विभाग ने उत्तरकाशी और #रुद्रप्रयाग जिलों में भारी से भारी वर्षा की सम्भावना जताई है। — Rudraprayag Police Uttarakhand (@RudraprayagPol) July 6, 2025 On Sunday, the Meteorological Department issued an alert of heavy rain in Uttarakhand for the next four days in Uttarkashi, Tehri, Bageshwar, Dehradun and Rudraprayag districts of the state. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami conducted an aerial survey of the disaster-affected Silai Band and Ojri Band stretches along the Yamunotri road in Uttarkashi district on Sunday where heavy rains washed away sections of the national highway, disrupting connectivity to the pilgrimage site. Earlier, the Kedarnath Dham Yatra in Rudraprayag district was temporarily halted after a landslide damaged the pedestrian track near Chhodi Gadhere, about one kilometre ahead of Gaurikund. Authorities stated that due to the landslide, the path leading to the sacred shrine of Kedarnath had become unsafe for pilgrims, leading officials to suspend movement along the route until further notice. The Kedarnath Dham witnessed an influx of pilgrims this year, which officials attribute to both improved facilities and growing spiritual interest. Authorities have also deployed enhanced security and medical response teams to manage the high-altitude yatra effectively. The Kedarnath temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva, is located at an altitude of over 11,000 feet in the Himalayas and holds immense religious significance. The Kedarnath Yatra doors for the year 2025 were opened for devotees on May 2. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Hindustan Times
2 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Weather today: Red alert in Shimla, Maharashtra; rain hits Delhi
With monsoon now covering entire India, various parts of the country have been receiving heavy rainfall with alerts by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) being issued across India. In Delhi heavy rains have persisted since early hour of Monday with yellow alert being issued throughout Delhi.(Shrikant Singh) For July 7, IMD predicted a heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places in Chhattisgarh, East Madhya Pradesh, Madhya Maharashtra and Vidarbha. Along with this, heavy to very heavy rainfall is also likely at isolated places over East Rajasthan, Gujarat, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Odisha and Uttarakhand. Himachal Pradesh: Red alert in Mandi Rain continued to lash parts of Shimla as cloudbursts worsened the situation on Sunday. For Monday, a red alert has been issued by IMD in Kangra, Mandi and Sirmaur, while orange alert is issued in Chamba, Kullu, Shimla Solan, Hamirpur and Una. No warning is there for Kinnaur, Lahul and Spiti. Overall, Heavy to Very heavy rain along with thunderstorms and lighting is likely to occur at isolated places. As monsoon continues to wreak havoc in the hill state, Chamba and Mandi were hit by cloudburst on Sunday. Also read: Himachal monsoon mayhem: Cloudbursts hit Chamba, Mandi, woman swept away in Hamirpur Rainfall in Delhi on Monday morning In Delhi, rains persisted in the early hour of Monday with yellow alert being issued throughout the city. Among NCR areas, yellow alert has been issued for Ghaziabad, Faridabad, Gurgaon and Gautam Buddha Nagar. IMD Delhi NCR Centre on Monday, posted on their X handle informing that Light to moderate rainfall accompanied with light thunderstorm and lightning is likely to occur at many places of Delhi and NCR, Jhajjar, Mahendargarh, Rewari, Palwal, Nuh, Aurangabad, Sonipat, Rohtak and more. The maximum temperature in Delhi is predicted to remain between 32-34 degrees Celsius, while the minimum temperature will remain between 26-28 degrees Celsius. Also read: Bengaluru weather to stay cloudy and cool with possible light showers this week: Report Chandigarh weather: Orange alert after sunny break According to the Regional Met Centre Chandigarh, an orange alert has been issued in Jalandhar, Amritsar, Pathankot, Hoshiarpur, Kapurthala, Rupnagar and Sas Nagar for moderate to heavy rainfall. The temperature on Monday in Chandigarh is predicted to remain between 27 and 29 degrees Celsius. After a welcome sunny break through most of the first week of July, rain is expected to make a steady comeback this week in the city. According to IMD the recorded rain on July 1 was 31 mm and 3.7 mm on July 6. However, IMD has predicted chances of heavy rain on Monday, with showers likely to continue till Thursday. Maharashtra: Red alert in parts of state In Maharashtra, a red alert has been issued for areas in Madhya Maharashtra including for Pune and Palghar for extremely heavy rainfall accompanied by lightning and thunderstorm on July 7. Meanwhile, an orange alert has been issued for Nashik, Thane, Raigad and Ratnagiri. Yellow alert has been sounded for Ahmednagar, Jalna, Jalgaon and Hingoli. Since the onset of the monsoon in May, Mumbai has seen occasional spells of heavy rain and cloudy days. The temperature forecast for Monday is between 30 degrees Celsius and 25 degrees Celsius.
Time of India
3 hours ago
- Time of India
India Weather Today: Uttarakhand landslide alert, Gujarat flood risk in focus; check IMD's forecast for your city
As monsoon intensifies across India, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) and allied agencies have issued multiple weather alerts ranging from landslides in the Himalayas to urban flooding in western states. Here's a detailed city-wise and regional weather forecast to help citizens stay alert and plan their week accordingly. Uttarakhand on high alert for landslides The State Emergency Operations Centre (SEOC) in Uttarakhand has issued a high alert for landslides in four districts—Tehri, Uttarkashi, Rudraprayag, and Chamoli—based on a forecast by the IMD and the Geological Survey of India. The warning, in effect for July 7 and 8, covers subdivisions such as Chamoli, Rudraprayag, Ukhimath, Ghansali, Narendra Nagar, Dhanaulti, Dunda, and Chinyalisaur. Authorities have ordered restrictions on tourist movement in the higher Himalayan regions and advised schools to exercise caution. Local administration has been directed to regulate traffic, clear blocked roads promptly, and ensure emergency food and medical supplies are available in case of any disaster. Live Events Gujarat flood situation worsens; red alert in multiple districts Several parts of Gujarat, including Banaskantha and Navsari, have witnessed severe flooding due to incessant rainfall. In Navsari, the Purna River overflowed, flooding residential areas and disrupting daily life. Meanwhile, in Banaskantha's Tharad region, roads remain submerged, and vehicles are struggling to move. The IMD has issued a red alert for Ahmedabad, Surendranagar, Morbi, Jamnagar, Devbhoomi Dwarka, Porbandar, Rajkot, Sabarkantha, and Banaskantha, forecasting very heavy rainfall, thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds up to 40 km/h. Residents have been urged to stay indoors and avoid travel unless absolutely necessary. Additionally, yellow alerts for extreme rainfall have been issued across parts of Saurashtra and Kutch, with a high risk of flash floods in low-lying areas and transportation disruptions in coastal cities. Heavy rainfall for Konkan, Goa, and Maharashtra Ghat regions A strong offshore trough and significant moisture feed from the Arabian Sea are expected to cause extremely heavy rainfall (≥21 cm) in South Konkan, Goa, and Madhya Maharashtra, particularly on July 6 and 7. The IMD warns of a high risk of slope failures, road blockages, and urban flooding in these regions. Precautionary measures are in place, including traffic regulation and restricted travel in high-risk zones. City-wise weather forecast for the week Mumbai: Monday: Sunny, 28°C – Ideal for early morning outdoor activities. Tuesday: Partly cloudy, 30°C – A warm and pleasant day. Wednesday: Rain, 25°C – Carry an umbrella and plan indoor activities. Thursday: Sunny, 29°C – Perfect for a picnic or a beach outing. Friday: Cloudy, 27°C – A cooler end to the week. Hyderabad: Monday: Cloudy, 22°C – Cozy weather for indoor relaxation. Tuesday: Sunny, 24°C – A good day for open-air events. Wednesday: Sunny, 26°C – Comfortable conditions for an evening walk. Thursday: Rain, 23°C – Be prepared for a wet day. Friday: Sunny, 25°C – Good weather for weekend travel plans. Weather forecast for Tomorrow (July 8, 2025) Most regions across India are expected to witness partly cloudy skies, with temperatures ranging from 20°C to 30°C. A light breeze is likely to keep conditions comfortable in urban centres. However, isolated spells of heavy rain are possible in western coastal and Himalayan regions. Residents in flood-prone or landslide-susceptible areas should exercise caution. Precautionary Measures In view of the alerts, local administrations in affected regions have issued advisories for the public: Avoid travel in hilly areas during intense rainfall. Keep emergency kits ready, including torches, raincoats, and basic medicines. Do not attempt to cross flooded roads or rivers. Parents are advised to monitor school updates, especially in red-alert zones. Tourists should postpone visits to Himalayan and coastal danger zones. Stay tuned to official weather bulletins and district administration updates. The IMD will continue to issue revised forecasts as the monsoon activity evolves through the week.
