Alton Towers wants to control the weather!

[Homer]

Alton Towers to use "cloud seeding"

 

Some weird science is going to be used to control the weather. Cloud seeding sounds like an extremely screwed up thing that I haven't heard of. Dropping particles into clouds to lower rain chances? This sounds like something Cedar Point (or any CF park) should get.

 

It sounds weird, yet fascinating though.

 

Staff at Alton Towers, Staffordshire, said they were considering using the cloud-seeding technique ahead of important public holidays.

 

The method was famously used by Communists in the former Soviet Union to ensure rallies would remain dry.

 

Particles are dropped or fired into clouds in an effort to change levels of precipitation.

 

There are plans to use aircraft to carry out cloud-seeding ahead of next year's Beijing Olympics.

 

'Held hostage'

 

The technique was also reportedly used during the UK's 1976 drought.

 

In China it is used to boost rainfall in drought-stricken areas and it is also used in the US to encourage snowfall in the mountains above Californian hydroelectric dams.

 

General manager of Alton Towers Russell Barnes said this summer's wet weather had forced them to consider the measure.

 

Mr Barnes said: "It's still a long way off, but after we read that Bejing plan to use cloud-seeding to keep the 2008 Olympics dry, we thought we'd investigate.

 

"Whilst our resort features a large number of indoor attractions and rides, the wet weather definitely puts off families and our aim is to not be held hostage to the increasingly extreme weather conditions."

[307]

The first thing that popped into my mind when reading this:

 

"We can rebuild him. We have the technology."

 

This is an interesting theory, and if it's been successfully used in various other endeavours, it makes sense that an amusement park, which I'm assuming loses quite a bit of business with consistantly rainy weather, would use it as well.

 

Let's hope they don't screw it up and that the particles don't release those dinosaurs that expand when put in water.

[Carnage]

I'm not sure I'm understanding this correctly.

 

The way I interpreted it's not to prevent it from raining, it's forcing it to rain on their schedule.

 

Like they'd seed the clouds and force a strong rain days before a holiday, thus lowering the chance of rain on the holiday?

 

Seems kind of far fetched though.

[307]

I'm not sure I'm understanding this correctly.

 

The way I interpreted it's not to prevent it from raining, it's forcing it to rain on their schedule.

 

Like they'd seed the clouds and force a strong rain days before a holiday, thus lowering the chance of rain on the holiday?

 

Seems kind of far fetched though.

Huh, I suppose that's what the article did say.

 

That seems less likely to work out in the park's favour. Though trying to control the weather is a pipedream to begin with in my eyes.

[AllenA07]

Cloud seeding is going to make it rain when they decided that they want rain...

 

Basically what they are going to do is pump silver iodine into the cloud, which in turn will turn the supercooled water into ice, which are then heavy enough to fall. There has been some good results with it, but it is still debated if seeding actually does much. That is basically how the process works, however just a word of warning, I got this out of a lower division college class on weather in which I only got an A-, so I can promise you that it is much more complex then what I stated above.

 

Edit: Just as a side note so I don't confuse anybody, I know there are a couple other ways cloud seeding works, however I'm not sure how those work, as I was only required to learn the Silver Iodine method. The Silver Iodine method is the most common so it is a fair guess that Alton Towers is going about it that way. Just so that you're all aware that there is more than one way to seed a cloud.

[lil jimmy norton]

Something tells me that this is one of those things that humans should not frig around with. Controlling the weather just seems a bit much.

[thomas2]

Isn't this very expensive to use every time rainclouds are coming? Or will Alton Towers probably only 'play God' on selected days, when they expect the park will going to be crowded?

 

Bizarre, but interesting idea I think.

[coasterdude5]

Haha, an amusement park playing God... that's funny.

 

Sounds cool if they can get it to work.

[christianscoasters]

HA!!! Should've told Wild West World about this seems how it was the weathers fault for its bankruptcy! This glorified state fair would be ALL about it!

[dandaman]

Yep. Cloud seeding is making it rain when you want to, as opposed to holding it off.

 

"God's laxative", as it were.

 

FYI, it's silver iodide, not iodine.

 

And just to guarantee a berth in atmospheric nerdiness: Bernard Vonnegut (yep, that's Kurt's brother) first proposed the idea of cloud seeding.

[Manny In England]

Maybe it'll work but going with some previous ideas to make the park appealing, *cough* nudist, muslim and gay days *cough

 

Oh they worked out well.............. NOT