Tuesday March 10th - Sunday March 15th

[Edd]

Claiming large scale weather modification is a huge thing. Tuna sort of mentioning it super casual, like, "you guys all get that this is happening, right?" is bound to get the reaction that it's getting.

Tuna, I think you're a good guy but, I can't get on board with what you're claiming. You're a passionate skier, so you're ok in my book.

 

[bdfreetuna]

I think it's a huge thing as well, Edd, that's why I keep an eye on the science and policies behind it.

I totally respect your skepticism. Smart move, honestly. There's so much garbage on the internet between Contrail Science on one hand and GeoengineeringWatch on the other hand. As a result most people who even care about this topic are woefully uninformed because they've "chosen a camp", and as a result will only listen to opinions which reinforce their beliefs. Reminds me a lot of the climate change debate where according to my research the truth is pretty darn complicated, but most people will passionately argue on polarized belief versus the other.

So I've got a few minutes to spare, let me address the claim "weather modification is large scale". I'll stand behind that claim. After a decade of learning and insider info to me that statement is about as controversial as saying the sun is bright.

What I'm going to do is provide some links to as-official-as-I-can-find sources indicating that indeed this is large scale, mostly out in the open, and well within the realm of the average person to comprehend.

...............

WORLD METEOROLOGICAL ORGANIZATION

WMO DOCUMENTS ON WEATHER MODIFICATION
Updated in the meeting of the Expert Team on Weather Modification Research
Abu Dhabi, 22-24 March 2010

Operational programmes in fog dispersion, rain and snow enhancement and hail suppression
are taking place in many countries around the world. The primary aim of these projects is to obtain
more water, reduce hail damage, eliminate fog, or other similar practical result in response to a
recognized need.

http://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/arep/wwrp/new/weathermod_new.html

......................

Then there was Senate bill S.517 in 2005-2006... National Weather Mod policy under NOAA, NASA and NSF. The bill went nowhere, but that's exactly what happened.

https://www.congress.gov/bill/109th-congress/senate-bill/517

..................

Again, you don't have to look hard to see the current agenda. Here's what the National Academy of Sciences is up to.

http://nas-sites.org/americasclimat...-technical-evaluation-of-selected-approaches/

............

Here's a partial list of weather modification projects approved by NOAA in 2011. You can see which private companies were granted requests, for which reason, and where. Note that this is only private enterprise and a partial list. Still, it's useful to see how really anyone can modify the weather if they have the capability.

http://www.agriculturedefensecoalit...ms_Spreadsheet_11WXMOD5_as_of_July_7_2011.pdf

.............

This one is really good. National Research Council report on WxMod from 2003. Go to page 23 to see "current operations". Whatever they were doing 10-15 years ago is probably doubled now.


Critical Issues in Weather Modification Research
Committee on the Status and Future Directions in U.S
Weather Modification Research and Operations,
National Research Council

http://radiometrics.com/data/uploads/2013/02/NRC2003.pdf

"The rapid expansion of the seeding industry, with claims of seeding effects that
could not be rigorously substantiated and for which there was only a sketchy theory and
questionable physical evidence, deepened the split between meteorologists and those
supporting the seeding efforts. A few of the commercial companies, however, made an
effort to deal openly with these problems. These companies survived and contributed
substantially to increased knowledge about the seedability of clouds. Yet even today the
words “weather modification” and “cloud seeding” conjure up images of alchemy and
charlatans.

Current Status of Weather Modification
Operations and Research
CURRENT OPERATIONAL EFFORTS
In the annual register of National Weather Modification Projects, compiled and
published by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), 24 countries provided
information on more than 100 ongoing weather modification activities in 1999 (Plate 2),
with most of the precipitation enhancement programs located in the subtropical semiarid
belts on either side of the equator. These data, however, pertain only to countries that
report such information, and at least 10 other countries were conducting weather
modification programs. A few of these precipitation enhancement and hail suppression
programs have been conducted on a continuous basis for more than 40 years. China is the
most active country in pursuing weather modification, with an investment estimated at
more than $40 million annually, both for hail suppression and precipitation enhancement.
In the United States the number of precipitation enhancement and hail
suppression programs has varied over the course of the past several decades, while the
number of fog dissipation projects has remained nearly constant throughout this time
(with the primary example being the program sponsored by Delta Airlines at Salt Lake
City International Airport). In the last few years there has been an increase in operational
weather modification activities in the United States, with approximately 66 programs (for
hail suppression and snow or rain enhancement) being conducted in 2001, according to
activities reported to NOAA (Plate 2). All of these projects are located in the southern
and western states of the United States and are sponsored by local, state, or private
entities. No federal funding currently supports any project.
The increase in operational programs over the past 10 years indicates a growing
perceived need for enhancing water resources and mitigating severe weather in many
parts of the world, including the United States. For users and operators of weather
modification technologies, the decision of whether to implement or continue an
operational program is a matter of cost-benefit risk management, which raises questions
about what constitutes “successful” modification. Cloud-seeding experiments have
shown mixed results, but many operational cloud-seeding programs continue, based on
what is seen as circumstantial or indirect evidence of positive results."

......

That's probably enough for now. Lots of info especially if you follow that last link.

 

[Jcb890]

Well, this past weekend (14 & 15) at Killington was awful. Saturday was rain/freezing rain all day and night. We even lost power at the hotel. Conditions were super icy Saturday. Sunday we turned our tickets in for future vouchers and went tubing, which was a lot of fun.

 

[BenedictGomez]

Smuggs was fun Friday and Saturday. Hard and fast FIS conditions with no ice. Only problem was the woods were closed. All the woods opened Sunday after 4" overnight, but I had to leave (figures).

 

[ScottySkis]

Smuggs was fun Friday and Saturday. Hard and fast FIS conditions with no ice. Only problem was the woods were closed. All the woods opened Sunday after 4" overnight, but I had to leave (figures).

See that is 35%/ of trip report .I think you should write some time.

 

[Savemeasammy]

You guys skiing tomorrow, mind posting a few notes at the end of the day to let me know what it skis like on the ground?

Much appreciated.

I was at Bolton on Sunday, and it exceeded my expectations as far as snow quality goes. There was plenty of powder in the woods. Stowe is obviously more trafficked, so that could affect things, but I would guess that if temps remain Wintery up there this week, you should be good to go. In fact, I am leaning towards Smugg's this weekend because of these factors.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[mulva]

Well, this past weekend (14 & 15) at Killington was awful. Saturday was rain/freezing rain all day and night. We even lost power at the hotel. Conditions were super icy Saturday. Sunday we turned our tickets in for future vouchers and went tubing, which was a lot of fun.

I didn't think so at all. Saturday was light freezing rain for some of the day and I spent it in the North Ridge/Canyon area. Nice turns on groomed steeps. Woods were closed though and rightfully so. Sunday was frozen from the overnight chill but it started snowing early and after some laps in the Glades area (which skied pretty great actually), there was enough snow to move to some steeper stuff. Skyburst, Wildfire, and lower Skyelark had great snow. Northstar, Low Rider, and the woods off Solitude were really good. I park at Rams Head and ended the day ripping a couple laps on Header ( no sign of any freeze) before leaving pretty satisfied with a questionable weather weekend. I don't know, I like to take what the mountain gives me and don't try to force what's not there. Damn, sorry for the TR in the wrong section.

 

[Jcb890]

I didn't think so at all. Saturday was light freezing rain for some of the day and I spent it in the North Ridge/Canyon area. Nice turns on groomed steeps. Woods were closed though and rightfully so. Sunday was frozen from the overnight chill but it started snowing early and after some laps in the Glades area (which skied pretty great actually), there was enough snow to move to some steeper stuff. Skyburst, Wildfire, and lower Skyelark had great snow. Northstar, Low Rider, and the woods off Solitude were really good. I park at Rams Head and ended the day ripping a couple laps on Header ( no sign of any freeze) before leaving pretty satisfied with a questionable weather weekend. I don't know, I like to take what the mountain gives me and don't try to force what's not there. Damn, sorry for the TR in the wrong section.

No worries and I'm glad you had fun. I always take what the mountain gives me also and not force it. That's why we decided to not go skiing/boarding Sunday. Tubing was a great time.

Perhaps I should have tried some other trails, but all of the ones I spent time on Saturday, by noon were all rutted up and then it seemed like everything towards the lower end of the mountain was almost pure ice.

 

[4aprice]

No worries and I'm glad you had fun. I always take what the mountain gives me also and not force it. That's why we decided to not go skiing/boarding Sunday. Tubing was a great time.

Perhaps I should have tried some other trails, but all of the ones I spent time on Saturday, by noon were all rutted up and then it seemed like everything towards the lower end of the mountain was almost pure ice.

I was up on the access road @ the Wobbly, Sat evening while a moderate icing event was going on. People were falling on their butts all over the place. Played into our decision not to ski Killington Sunday. Hit Dartmouth instead, (see trip report section)

Alex

Lake Hopatcong, NJ

 

[VTKilarney]

bdfreetuna,

Apparently Q Burke is now engaging on weather modification. X marks the spot: