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Cloud seeding is a weather modification technique that increases the likelihood of rain or snow by introducing ice nuclei into clouds. The ice nuclei act as a base for snowflakes to form, which eventually grow heavy enough to fall as precipitation.
In 2009, China used cloud seeding technology in Beijing to artificially induce snowfall after a period of drought, causing a significant snowfall that lasted for several days and led to road closures in the city; this was part of their larger nationwide weather modification efforts, which included using cloud seeding to control precipitation levels around the capital region.
Key points about China's cloud seeding in 2009:
- Purpose: To induce snowfall after a drought period.
- Location: Primarily in Beijing.
- Method: Firing iodide sticks into the clouds to create ice nuclei for snowfall.
- Impact: Heavy snowfall lasting several days, leading to road closures.