Morocco’s Cloud Seeding Efforts Spark Concerns in Drought-Stricken Spain

Morocco uses cloud seeding technology to provoke precipitation and cope with water scarcity. The kingdom has been facing a persistent drought for nearly six years that is drying up water reservoirs, whose capacity has fallen to 29%. The Moroccan authorities have already invested more than 9 million euros in the implementation of the "Al Ghait" cloud seeding program, which should continue until 2025, with the aim of increasing rainfall by about 20%.

Abdelfettah Sahibi, Director General of Meteorology (DGM), stated that this method produces significant results, which encourages its extension to other regions of the kingdom. The use of this technique meets a series of requirements: weather data and forecasts must be analyzed 24 hours a day by experts to determine the ideal time to seed the clouds. Research continues to be conducted to evaluate and improve the effectiveness of this technique.

However, this practice could have negative repercussions on rainfall in Spain, according to experts from the website Eltiempo.es, specialized in meteorological issues, who mention unpredictable effects in Ceuta and Melilla and in the south of the peninsula. According to the experts, the provocation of heavy rainfall in areas where rainfall is usually rare can lead to flooding, soil deterioration and accelerated erosion.

Also, cloud seeding can modify the relative humidity of the atmosphere, which could trigger periods of drought in unexpected areas or cause heavy rains, the experts add, noting that these climate-induced changes could also increase the frequency of extreme weather events, such as storms, lightning, hail storms and even tornadoes.