Apocalyptic flash floods, seas of icy fog and frozen battlefields… How wars could be fought with ‘weaponised' weather
Sabotaging the weather could "control enemies" and disrupt military operations during conflict - or be used by terrorists to launch attacks.
9
It's feared wars could be fought by sabotaging weather patterns
Credit: Getty
9
Natural weather patterns could be weaponised to wreak havoc
Credit: Getty
9
Soldiers could be forced to fight in extreme conditions caused by 'weaponised' weather
Credit: Ian Whittaker
Weather modification includes attempts to create more rain, prevent rain, reduce hail, prevent fog, make snow - or reduce the severity of a hurricane.
It has historical precedent - with uses in the Vietnam War, during the 2008 Olympics in China, by Russia during one of Putin's parades, and even by the British government.
But it's feared weather sabotage could set off a chain of events "that we have little control over".
If weaponised, it could stop rainfall over crops to starve a nation - or spark floods to damage infrastructure.
During a war, fighter planes could be smashed by hailstones, tanks could be frozen and warships could be forced to navigate icy fog.
Dr Jim Flemming, a weather expert, told The Sun: "The military in the Cold War era, the generals would say that if you can control the weather, you can control the world.
"You can control the enemy; you can do anything you want."
Hamish de Bretton-Gordon, former chemical weapons adviser for the British military, told The Sun it was a "very plausible" threat.
He said: "You need the oxygen in a cloud to mix with a chemical to create a toxic substance - it would be very hit and miss.
"But if you are not concerned about indiscriminate casualties and just want to create terror and fear, it could be pretty effective."
"If you seeded a cloud which then produced 'acid-rain' you could conceivably say it is a chemical weapon.
"The same goes if you seeded a cloud which then rained on crops... that could be chemical warfare."
Dr Alan Robock, a Rutgers University scientist, said: "On a battlefield, you could produce clouds of particles to try and obscure laser-guided weapons of your enemy."
Using planes, "cloud seeding" involves spiking clouds with pellets filled with a cocktail of chemicals to create more ice crystals and boost the amount of rain.
Aircraft can also burn special salt flares to increase rainfall.
9
This means it has the potential to cause flash floods if it's misused by rogue actors.
Other techniques include Britain using "brute force" during World War Two to control the weather for bombers returning in thick fog from Europe.
Dr Robock said: "They put trenches of gasoline along the side of the runways and set them on fire. They would heat the air and evaporate the clouds."
Johan Jaques, a senior meteorologist at tech company KISTERS, fears it's these types of technology could be exploited to spark "weather wars".
Last year, when Dubai was swamped by floods, many theorised that it was caused by cloud seeding.
He said: "The Dubai floods act as a stark warning of the unintended consequences we can unleash when we use such technology to alter the weather.
"Additionally, we have little control over the aftermath of cloud seeding.
"Where exactly is it going to be raining effectively? Using techniques such as cloud seeding to bring much-needed rainfall in one area can cause flash floods and droughts in another."
9
Cars have been submerged by floodwater as Dubai struggles to drain away the masses of water
Credit: AP
9
A flooded road after heavy rainfall in Dubai in 2024
Credit: EPA
9
It's feared weaponised weather could cause flash floods
Credit: Getty
He said: "Anytime we interfere with natural precipitation patterns, we set off a chain of events that we have little control over.
"While there is a lot we know, there is still a lot we don't and there are still plenty of gaps in our understanding of these complex weather systems.
"Interference with the weather raises all kinds of ethical questions, as changing the weather in one country could lead to perhaps unintended yet catastrophic impacts in another.
"After all, the weather does not recognise intentional borders.
"If we're not careful, unrestrained use of this technology could end up causing diplomatic instabilities with neighbouring countries engaging in tit-for-tat 'weather wars'."
Andrea Flossmann, a scientist at the World Meteorological Organisation, explained in a WMO report: "The atmosphere has no walls.
"What you add may not have the desired effect in your vicinity, but by being transported along might have undesired effects elsewhere."
In 1977, the UN banned all military or hostile use of environmental modification techniques.
Since then, countries have tried to use weather modification for civil purposes - but there is no evidence that they necessarily worked.
Countries that have modified the weather
MORE than 50 countries currently have weather modification tech - and it has been used by many nations in the past.
BRITAIN
Between 1949 and 1952, the British government launched what it called Operation Cumulus - an attempt to modify the weather for potential military gains.
Experiments involved RAF planes dropping chemicals above clouds in an attempt to make rain.
However, the project was shut after the Lynmouth floods in 1952, which caused severe infrastructure damage and killed 34 people.
While no evidence was found to establish a link between Operation Cumulus and the floods, widespread conspiracy theories blamed it for the disaster.
They also used trenches of gasoline alongside runways to help get rid of fog for bombers returning from Europe.
VIETNAM WAR
The US military's "Operation Popeye" during the Vietnam War aimed to extend the monsoon season over the Ho Chi Minh Trail.
The targeted areas reportedly saw a longer monsoon season by 30 to 45 days.
RUSSIA
Russia removed cloud cover for an annual military parade.
Vladimir Putin reportedly spent £1.3 million to spike the clouds with a chemical cocktail to supposedly guarantee sunshine on his vast annual military parade.
UAE
When Dubai was swamped by flash floods last year, some claimed it may have been the result of cloud seeding.
Meteorologists at the National Centre for Meteorology said they flew six or seven cloud-seeding flights before the rains commenced.
Flight-tracking data reportedly showed that one aircraft affiliated with the UAE's cloud-seeding efforts flew around the country.
CHINA
In 2008, China claimed to have used weather modification techniques to ensure good weather for that year's Olympic Games.
According to the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), rockets were used to induce rain by cloud seeding other areas in a bid to prevent rainfall in Beijing.
The report says the Beijing Meteorological Bureau has a Beijing Weather Modification Office dedicated to controlling the weather in the city and surrounding areas.
In 2020, China also unveiled plans to create artificial rain - boasting that artificial rain will be able to cover more than 2million square miles - an area some 22 times bigger than the UK.
Chinese officials also claim that 223,000 square miles will be covered by "hail suppression" - and the nation boasted that its technology could be at an "advanced level" by 2035.
Dr Flemming said: "We know now the Mongolian and Chinese dust clouds come across into Korea.
"And there are a lot of transboundary concerns. There are concerns in Europe as well.
"These things do trigger concerns. And the people planning for things have to think about those things."
And the scientist fears these techniques could be weaponised in the "worst case scenario".
He told The Sun: "I think you have to think of the worst case scenario which would be a rogue actor, whether it's a rogue billionaire hoping to do good or a rogue nation - they could intervene.
"There's this theory of nuclear winter, so you could trigger off some very adverse effects.
"But I see the risk as being too great. I see it as something that is not desirable at all."
He added: "It's the scale of what you would have to do that is sort of beyond even small countries.
"You need rich countries like China or the United States to develop a program over many years, and the only way it would make any sense is for all the countries to agree to do it.
"Not one country wants the climate one way.
"How do you set the planetary thermostat? If people don't agree on how to do it, that could lead to conflict."
Cloud seeding has been branded dangerous by some scientists and medics over fears that the chemicals that are dropped can be toxic to animals.
There are also concerns over what the artificial process could do to the earth's natural weather patterns if rogue actors interfere.
9
Lightning strikes the Empire State building in New York City
Credit: Getty
9
A supercell forms over Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
Credit: Getty
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WORLD War 3 could be fought with "weaponised" weather by paralysing countries with apocalyptic flash floods or icy fog, experts fear. Sabotaging the weather could "control enemies" and disrupt military operations during conflict - or be used by terrorists to launch attacks. 9 It's feared wars could be fought by sabotaging weather patterns Credit: Getty 9 Natural weather patterns could be weaponised to wreak havoc Credit: Getty 9 Soldiers could be forced to fight in extreme conditions caused by 'weaponised' weather Credit: Ian Whittaker Weather modification includes attempts to create more rain, prevent rain, reduce hail, prevent fog, make snow - or reduce the severity of a hurricane. It has historical precedent - with uses in the Vietnam War, during the 2008 Olympics in China, by Russia during one of Putin's parades, and even by the British government. But it's feared weather sabotage could set off a chain of events "that we have little control over". If weaponised, it could stop rainfall over crops to starve a nation - or spark floods to damage infrastructure. During a war, fighter planes could be smashed by hailstones, tanks could be frozen and warships could be forced to navigate icy fog. Dr Jim Flemming, a weather expert, told The Sun: "The military in the Cold War era, the generals would say that if you can control the weather, you can control the world. "You can control the enemy; you can do anything you want." Hamish de Bretton-Gordon, former chemical weapons adviser for the British military, told The Sun it was a "very plausible" threat. He said: "You need the oxygen in a cloud to mix with a chemical to create a toxic substance - it would be very hit and miss. "But if you are not concerned about indiscriminate casualties and just want to create terror and fear, it could be pretty effective." "If you seeded a cloud which then produced 'acid-rain' you could conceivably say it is a chemical weapon. 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Johan Jaques, a senior meteorologist at tech company KISTERS, fears it's these types of technology could be exploited to spark "weather wars". Last year, when Dubai was swamped by floods, many theorised that it was caused by cloud seeding. He said: "The Dubai floods act as a stark warning of the unintended consequences we can unleash when we use such technology to alter the weather. "Additionally, we have little control over the aftermath of cloud seeding. "Where exactly is it going to be raining effectively? Using techniques such as cloud seeding to bring much-needed rainfall in one area can cause flash floods and droughts in another." 9 Cars have been submerged by floodwater as Dubai struggles to drain away the masses of water Credit: AP 9 A flooded road after heavy rainfall in Dubai in 2024 Credit: EPA 9 It's feared weaponised weather could cause flash floods Credit: Getty He said: "Anytime we interfere with natural precipitation patterns, we set off a chain of events that we have little control over. "While there is a lot we know, there is still a lot we don't and there are still plenty of gaps in our understanding of these complex weather systems. "Interference with the weather raises all kinds of ethical questions, as changing the weather in one country could lead to perhaps unintended yet catastrophic impacts in another. "After all, the weather does not recognise intentional borders. "If we're not careful, unrestrained use of this technology could end up causing diplomatic instabilities with neighbouring countries engaging in tit-for-tat 'weather wars'." Andrea Flossmann, a scientist at the World Meteorological Organisation, explained in a WMO report: "The atmosphere has no walls. "What you add may not have the desired effect in your vicinity, but by being transported along might have undesired effects elsewhere." In 1977, the UN banned all military or hostile use of environmental modification techniques. Since then, countries have tried to use weather modification for civil purposes - but there is no evidence that they necessarily worked. Countries that have modified the weather MORE than 50 countries currently have weather modification tech - and it has been used by many nations in the past. BRITAIN Between 1949 and 1952, the British government launched what it called Operation Cumulus - an attempt to modify the weather for potential military gains. Experiments involved RAF planes dropping chemicals above clouds in an attempt to make rain. However, the project was shut after the Lynmouth floods in 1952, which caused severe infrastructure damage and killed 34 people. While no evidence was found to establish a link between Operation Cumulus and the floods, widespread conspiracy theories blamed it for the disaster. They also used trenches of gasoline alongside runways to help get rid of fog for bombers returning from Europe. VIETNAM WAR The US military's "Operation Popeye" during the Vietnam War aimed to extend the monsoon season over the Ho Chi Minh Trail. The targeted areas reportedly saw a longer monsoon season by 30 to 45 days. RUSSIA Russia removed cloud cover for an annual military parade. Vladimir Putin reportedly spent £1.3 million to spike the clouds with a chemical cocktail to supposedly guarantee sunshine on his vast annual military parade. UAE When Dubai was swamped by flash floods last year, some claimed it may have been the result of cloud seeding. Meteorologists at the National Centre for Meteorology said they flew six or seven cloud-seeding flights before the rains commenced. Flight-tracking data reportedly showed that one aircraft affiliated with the UAE's cloud-seeding efforts flew around the country. CHINA In 2008, China claimed to have used weather modification techniques to ensure good weather for that year's Olympic Games. According to the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), rockets were used to induce rain by cloud seeding other areas in a bid to prevent rainfall in Beijing. The report says the Beijing Meteorological Bureau has a Beijing Weather Modification Office dedicated to controlling the weather in the city and surrounding areas. In 2020, China also unveiled plans to create artificial rain - boasting that artificial rain will be able to cover more than 2million square miles - an area some 22 times bigger than the UK. Chinese officials also claim that 223,000 square miles will be covered by "hail suppression" - and the nation boasted that its technology could be at an "advanced level" by 2035. Dr Flemming said: "We know now the Mongolian and Chinese dust clouds come across into Korea. "And there are a lot of transboundary concerns. There are concerns in Europe as well. "These things do trigger concerns. And the people planning for things have to think about those things." And the scientist fears these techniques could be weaponised in the "worst case scenario". He told The Sun: "I think you have to think of the worst case scenario which would be a rogue actor, whether it's a rogue billionaire hoping to do good or a rogue nation - they could intervene. "There's this theory of nuclear winter, so you could trigger off some very adverse effects. "But I see the risk as being too great. I see it as something that is not desirable at all." He added: "It's the scale of what you would have to do that is sort of beyond even small countries. "You need rich countries like China or the United States to develop a program over many years, and the only way it would make any sense is for all the countries to agree to do it. "Not one country wants the climate one way. "How do you set the planetary thermostat? If people don't agree on how to do it, that could lead to conflict." Cloud seeding has been branded dangerous by some scientists and medics over fears that the chemicals that are dropped can be toxic to animals. There are also concerns over what the artificial process could do to the earth's natural weather patterns if rogue actors interfere. 9 Lightning strikes the Empire State building in New York City Credit: Getty 9 A supercell forms over Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil Credit: Getty
