Houston’s forecast has not changed much, so let’s talk about weather control

In brief: Today’s post discusses our current cool front, and even stronger front next week, and when we might finally see some rain. We also discuss the recent controversy over “weather control” in regard to hurricanes Helene and Milton. Finally, there’s a link to vote for us as “Houstonians of the year.”

A few words about weather control

Before we get into the forecast—and there is a treat in the outlook for next week, with a nice front that should finally put the cool in cool front—I feel compelled to address the rise of misinformation spreading online about weather control. This problem has become especially acute in light of the terrible inland flooding from Hurricane Helene last month, and the impending landfall of what surely will be a highly catastrophic Hurricane Milton.

If you’re wondering what I’m talking about, Wired has a good rundown on some of these conspiracy theories. Essentially the claim is that, for political reasons, the US government is manipulating the weather to harm its political opponents. I want to be absolutely clear about this: Space City Weather is apolitical. We never talk politics because, frankly, no one cares what our politics are. The weather certainly doesn’t care. The sole point of this post is to address the question of whether weather control is possible, and if it is happening.

It is true that people have been trying to control the weather for a long time, for various reasons. The most prominent form of weather control is cloud seeding, in which aircraft introduce silver iodide into clouds to act as nuclei, and serve as a basis for condensation. This can lead to rain or snow. However, the best available evidence suggests the impact of cloud seeding is limited, perhaps increasing precipitation by 10 percent or so in optimal conditions.

Now comes the important part: There was no cloud seeding during Hurricane Helene, which produced extreme flooding well inland. None. Why would there be? It is in no one’s interest to increase the precipitation from a tropical system. Yes, there are government planes flying into storms. But those are NOAA hurricane hunters, gathering data about the storm to better inform you, and protect those in harm’s way. That is your government, working for you.

And what if they were cloud seeding? Because hurricanes are so large, any attempt to implement cloud seeding would be negligible. As for trying to modify where a tropical cyclone will go, there is no conceivable mechanism to do that. When we consider the steering currents that guide storms, we are talking about atmospheric forces that span continents, with energies that far surpass what humans can generate. If you tried to take our most powerful nuclear weapons and drop them in a hurricane to disrupt their movement, all you would do is spread harmful radiation.

Map showing the track of all tropical storms that passed within 200 miles of Milton’s formation point. Florida landfalls from this location are rare, but far from unprecedented. (NOAA)

Some people have questioned the movement of Milton, from west to east, across the Gulf of Mexico. That certainly looks strange, doesn’t it? Well, sure. But weather does strange things all the time. The movement of a hurricane from west to east across the Gulf of Mexico is not unprecedented, and in this case the meteorological reasons for Milton’s movement are well understood. The track of Milton was predicted many days in advance by weather models from organizations around the world. Are they all in on the game? Let’s be real. There is nothing artificial about the storm’s track.

In our comments yesterday, some readers asked about “chemtrails” or the “High-frequency Active Auroral Research Program” being used to modify or influence the weather. The bottom line is that no, this is not happening, and if someone nefarious wanted to use them to influence our weather, these kinds of interventions would be ineffective.

Here’s the bottom line. There are plenty of places on the internet where one find this sort of conspiracy-fueled nonsense. You can find “videos” to support almost anything, or “do your own research” and come to whatever conclusions you like. But Space City Weather is a website driven by evidence, and the best available science. If your intent is to weaponize misinformation about the weather, you’re not welcome here. All you are doing is making a miserable experience for people affected by hurricanes worse.

We have no agenda here but to try and put out the most accurate forecasts possible. That is the sole reason we show up every day. If Matt and I saw the weather behaving in an artificial way, we would be shouting from the rooftops. But it’s not. Helene and Milton are powerful hurricanes doing very bad things. A busy and destructive hurricane season was forecast this past spring, partly because the Atlantic Ocean is so very warm due to a warming climate. Unfortunately, that’s what we’re seeing play out.

It’s a cool morning for much of the northern two thirds of Texas. (Weather Bell)

Wednesday

Houston’s low temperature has fallen below 60 degrees this morning for the first time since April 23, which is 169 days ago. It’s been a long time since it has felt ‘crisp’ outside, but it does feel that way across much of the region this morning. With dewpoints in the 40s, the air feels mighty fine. This is our region’s coldest morning of the week, and probably our driest day in terms of humidity, but we’re not going back to sultry weather any time soon. Highs today will reach the upper 80s, with light northerly winds and sunny skies. Lows tonight will drop into the lower 60s for most of Houston, with outlying areas probably reaching the upper 50s again.

Thursday and Friday

Sunshine prevails, with fairly dry air and high temperatures of around 90 degrees. Lows will drop into the mid-60s in Houston, with cooler conditions for outlying areas.

Saturday and Sunday

The sunshine party continues, with more days with highs of around 90 degrees. Rain chances are zero. Dewpoints will be creeping up, but the air will still feel less humid than Houston typically feels in late summer. Nights will be a bit warmer, in the upper 60s for most.

Another front appears to be on the way next Tuesday, or so. (Weather Bell)

Next week

Monday looks to be fairly hot, with high temperatures probably peaking in the lower 90s. I think there’s a chance—don’t hold me to this, but I do think it is a distinct possibility—that Monday or Tuesday will be our final 90-degree day of this calendar year. That’s because a stronger cool front is in the cards for Tuesday or Tuesday night, and this could knock high temperatures down into the 70s by Wednesday. Most of the region could see some nights in the 50s, as well, so hello fall. Rain chances look low with the front, but there may be some better odds toward the end of next week. We’ll see.

Vote for us!

Houstonia magazine is in process of selecting their “Houstonian of the year,” and Matt and I have been nominated among some impressive finalists. The winner is being decided by an online vote, and if you care to support us that would be awesome. Thanks!

125 thoughts on “Houston’s forecast has not changed much, so let’s talk about weather control”

  1. Thanks for always keeping it real! I vote for you guys to be Houstonians of the Year (any and every year)! 😍

    • I agree wholeheartedly with you! After skimming through the post, I went over to the Houstonian ballot and found the Dynamic Duo and voted.

      No need to read those other (honorable) candidates. Just voted for Eric and Matt.

  2. Voted! Y’all are the best. Now I do have more to say on weather manipulation but later. DoD believes otherwise. As do patents filed by the US government and defense industry white papers.

    • I’ll donate $100 to your favorite politician’s legal defense fund if you can link the defense industry white paper that details how to create a major hurricane out of thin air and steer it against atmospheric currents.

      • In 1978, the United Nations in Geneva signed into force the ENMOD, which  discusses that in regards to defense:

        “The ENMOD Convention is specifically intended to prevent use of the environment as a means of warfare, by prohibiting the deliberate manipulation of natural processes that could produce phenomena such as hurricanes, tidal waves or changes in climate.”

    • I’ll double this guy’s offer below. Let’s see the patents and “white papers” showing how to create hurricanes.

  4. I’ve voted as well. As someone who gets overly anxious about weather, especially during hurricane season, I so appreciate your no nonsense, just the facts, approach to reporting the weather. If only all the news would follow your lead, we would be in a much better place.

  5. I’d like to see the Venn diagram of climate science / global warming deniers, and those pushing these asinine weather control conspiracies. I’m guessing significant overlap.

    • Man made climate change is a hoax, there is no way man can influence something so large as the climate. Also the government is controlling the weather with pinpoint precision.

    • I don’t even think it’s a Venn diagram, I’m pretty sure it’s just a circle (i.e. it’s the exact same people). It strikes me as people simply doubling down because it’s easier to believe the government is controlling the weather than it is for them to admit they’ve been wrong for the past 40 years.

  6. Thank you for saying what should never need be said.

    You two are the best of Houston and ask easy choice.

  7. Y’all sure do have a lot of smug certainty about things, for guys who “predict” the weather – a notoriously inexact science.

  9. Did AI generate your refute BS about manipulation or did you stay up late carefully wording your ‘misinformation’ article? Makes no difference – the proof is out there – deny all you want. When your ‘bosses’ are caught in the DS roundup, the public will know who’s lying here. We know you can’t forecast the weather, you only repeat what you are told they have planned. Enjoy your prestigious career while you still have it.

  13. Spot on! Thank you for doing this, though the need to do so is beyond absurd. Thank you for being a rational, trusted voice – always!

  14. For those interested in learning more, can you add a reference/publication to the comment- “However, the best available evidence suggests the impact of cloud seeding is limited, perhaps increasing precipitation by 10 percent or so in optimal conditions.”

  15. I don’t know who to believe. You guys or Marjorie Taylor Greene who says “they” can control the weather.

    Does anyone know who “they” are? And how does someone get to be a “they”?

      • It’s funny how every conspiracy theory is attributed to “they”.

        From controlling the weather to the fire on Maui.

      • Look, when the government supports such abominations as abortion and rejects human nature itself, it’s hard to blame people for thinking it’s capable of anything. Ultimately, the 60s progressives and sexual revolutionaries who destroyed traditional culture were asking for this to happen.

        Of course, capable of willing something like weather control is not the same as having the physical ability to do it! It does seem that the conspiracy theorists tend to place random “evidence” above basic reason. But so does our entire society, in different ways.

  16. So humans cannot influence weather? So climate change is also political propaganda? Btw, I agree with your post but then again, “climate change caused by humans” has been used time and time again to point to the reason for “stronger” hurricanes than in the past. Lets not discuss the accuracy of instrumentation from years ago compared to now…if we were using 1900 technology and tools would the hurricanse “measure” stronger? Just saying…

    • Oh boy, here we go! So, let’s pretend for a second that humans can’t influence the weather at all. So, no matter how much smoke we puff into the sky or how much trash we throw around, nothing happens, right? Well, not really. Just like when you leave a messy room and suddenly can’t find your favorite toy, humans messing around with pollution is like leaving the Earth a bit messier, and that does have consequences.

      Now about hurricanes: imagine trying to see how fast your toy car goes using a really old stopwatch versus a shiny new one. Yeah, they might show different numbers, but here’s the thing — even with better tools today, it doesn’t change the fact that those hurricanes are still hitting harder. So, sure, tools are better now, but the storms are still smashing things up worse than they used to.

      But hey, let’s just ignore all the smart science stuff and keep calling it “propaganda,” right? Because that’s easier than cleaning up the mess we’ve made. Just saying!

  17. Thank you, thank you, thank you, from the PhD oceanographer in the room!
    I cannot believe this has gotten to this point, and I sure do wish people would put as much time into learning how things actually work as they do into spreading loony conspiracy theories.

  18. Just so you know, the primary conspiracy I’ve read has nothing to do with political benefit, but for purposes of government land grabs. This is the primary conspiracy theory out there.

    I don’t really put much weight on these theories, but someone that researches and develops weather modification for a living would be a more reliable verification source than a Meteorologist. Just because you say something isn’t so doesn’t mean it isn’t, or that there aren’t things you don’t know about. It may very well be misinformation, but just saying it is with a few bits of information doesn’t mean it’s a closed case. Just as a conspiracy theorist providing their few bits of information. This goes with anything in our new misinformation climate.

      • It’s fair to question everything if you like. It’s not fair to imagine and dogmatically defend (for example, “Yes, they can control weather. It’s ridiculous for anyone to lie and say it can’t be done”) answers that support a preexisting bias simply to justify in one’s own simple mind ignoring a known and tested body of study. Weather and climate change knowledge are growing. That doesn’t mean that the new understanding is fabricated. What is fabricated doesn’t become real merely because you don’t understand the existing knowledge.

  19. People will read and believe whatever information, no matter how crazy it is, to reinforce what they already believe in. Evidence is superficial to these people.

    If the government can control the weather, why can’t they just collapse a tornado, which is much smaller than a hurricane, like what was shown in Twister?

  22. This reminds me of the, “I am the science” guy. The fact that govt has tried to manipulate the weather with “seeding” why wouldn’t they manipulate it or attempt to manipulate it with anything else. We’ve definitely seen it in other areas. Help me understand, you say we cannot control the weather, but yet, we are indirectly controlling it by our foot print causing climatic change??

    • Maybe think of it in terms of scale. Humans have been pumping extra carbon into the atmosphere since the Industrial Revolution and clearing land for development for even longer. Over time, over the entire planet, those effects compound themselves, to the point where we are now, that the effects are showing stronger short-term outcomes (like hotter surface ocean temperatures that can make hurricanes stronger) than they used to.
      But individually, a hurricane is a short-term event that happens in a proportionally small area on the planet. So while those hotter surface temperatures can affect the storms, day to day we don’t have the technology to do anything to them.
      That’s how I look at it, anyway.

    • Alright, kiddo, let’s break this down super simple. Imagine you’ve got a toy car and you’re driving it around in the mud. You can’t make it rain just because you want to, even if you throw some glitter in the air and cross your fingers (that’s like “seeding”). But if you keep driving your toy car all over the place, eventually, you’re going to mess up the ground, right? That’s like how people living their lives are messing with the weather.

      So no, we can’t control the weather like some magic power, but when we leave a big mess behind (like pollution), it starts changing things anyway. Make sense, champ?

    • What do you not understand here.

      Our activities in everyday life are contributing to the warming and destabilization of a global weather system that is otherwise mostly stable. We are increasing the frequency and chaos of weather systems by being irresponsible with our resources and consumption. There is no “control” over the climate, just cause and effect.
      We cannot “control” specific weather events. The former is not the latter. This is not hard to comprehend so why are you doing mental gymnastics.

      • Good point. If we could control the climate we wouldn’t be in this situation with global warming. I think we are feeling the natural consequences of attempts to attain unachievable control of nature for our economic gain. Climate change is the proof that we cannot control nature: when we try, unforeseen and uncontrollable side effects arise.

        We can steward nature and cultivate it, but we cannot enslave it. When we try, we only cause destruction.

  23. Voted! And the fact that you had to even discuss the misinformation that’s being spread is disturbing in the least. Oy.

  24. Stepped outside for the morning walk at 7am here in Magnolia – 56°F. Briefly thought to put on a long sleeve T, but walked on in shorts and short sleeve T. Plus, we almost doubled our normal distance. Hope this continues!

    • Right? I had a brief thought of putting on something warmer, but I remembered that there’s still the afternoon to contend with.

  27. Weather control. The only one who has complete control over the weather is God. They at one point talked about nuking a hurricane. I’m sure this is from the same group of Emmy Award winners that wanted to detonate a Hydrogen Bomb on the moon. Thanks guys for looking out for the ongoing group of idiots doing anything for (evidently) a vote or two?? Maybe not. Maybe a land grab. Although…the chicoms are doing well in that department without the weather. Cuba thought we were controlling a hurricane because it backed up and hit them again. That’s what I heard anyway. You guys would know for sure. Sometimes life is worth living so you can see what comes up next.

  29. Thank you Gentlemen for your hard work. I do have one question, is there creditable research being done for a method that could defuse or reduce the impact of Hurricanes and Tornadoes or is this just things dreamed up by Scfi writers and movie producers. Keep up the great work, it is greatly appreciated!

    • The only serious government effort to weaken hurricanes came with Project Stormfury half a century ago. It ended in failure. Other possibilities include upwelling deeper, cooler water in the path of a storm, but again, the scale of the energy needed (not to mention the logistics of getting a massive fleet in the vicinity of a rapidly developing storm) is pretty monumental. As for tornadoes, the National Severe Storms Laboratory looked at scientific options decades ago, and concluded that more precise warnings were the best way to save lives.

      • I believe there was a project in the midwest where they were putting little sensors in the path of tornadoes to monitor the formation to better predict when they will occur. If I remember correctly it was called Dorothy.

  30. Wish I could send this to a few people… The weather control conspiracies have been out of control recently. THANK you for talking about it!! Also, I voted for y’all for Houstonian of the Year. Good Luck!

  31. It saddens me that people would rather believe the conspiracy theories than the science. Thank you for always coming with the truth without the hype. You’re definitely my favorite Houstonians!

  32. Climate and politics are never a good mix. No one can control the weather and Kilimanjaro still had snow on it, an inconvenient truth.

    Once the climate nuts all fly on electric jets to their conferences and the White House and Capital are solar powered, I’ll listen. Until then, I’m keeping my gas guzzler.

      • Pointing out climate conspiracies & hypocrisy on both sides of the spectrum is not a “maga” take. It’s a realization that those who buy into them wholeheartedly are pawns in a political game.

        Guess I need to pay an extra $15k for an EV and $30k for solar panels to get out of the “selfish” column.

  33. Thanks for the sound information. On the other hand, wouldn’t you love to see this dispelled? Where’s “Mythbusters” when you need them?

  34. Can you someday write about the world’s climate history? I’d love to know if it’s cyclically warmed and cooled or has it only been getting warmer over time? Thanks!

  35. I am so sorry that y’all have to address crazy conspiracy theories. You have much more important things to do. Thanks for always being the best! Sincerely, Marilyn

  37. They have plentary weather control on Star Trek TNG, so it must be possible….right?

  38. I want to believe people will change their minds if presented with the correct arguments with the appropriate facts and data. Then I remember, there’s no fixing that kind of stupid… Bravo gents, for trying. You got my vote.

  39. There’s a part of me that’s disappointed that you felt the need to validate the conspiracy theorists by addressing these concerns, but overall, I’m incredibly impressed by the manner in which you did so. We are lacking in gifted science communicators, but you regularly step up to the plate and shine. Thank you for all that you do.

  40. These weather control people are probably the same ones that think we didn’t go to the moon. Sometimes you just have to nod your head and say “Well. Bless your heart!”

  41. Your comments indicating that predictions of storm activity well above average was coming true. Unless I am mistaken, NOAA and the CSU folks predicted somewhere between 23 and 30 named storms this year. So far we are only half that number, albeit there have been some very strong storms, and it looks like the actual number will come in well below predictions.

    • I like NOAA because of the way they present their numbers. They had an 80% chance of a higher than normal season and had it pegged at 17-25 storms (8-13 hurricanes). We’re on lucky number 13 (and 9 of those have been hurricanes) with a month and a half to go and the oceans are still quite warm so they may nail it. While CSU may have overcooked with the 23 named storms, they’re awfully close with their prediction of 11 Hurricanes

  43. I just voted for you guys. I don’t know what we would do without you. Keep up the fabulous work – we appreciate your time and efforts so much!

  44. The government can’t control the weather just like it can’t change the climate. Yeah, I know, I’m fun at parties because my climate change friends hate me and my government controls the weather friends hate me. It’s not my fault that neither group fails to see the irony.

  45. Yes, please stay out of politics. Your mentions of “climate change” and discussion of weather control are polarizing. Especially if you start reviewing patents on weather control, or what China has published on weather modification, it becomes evident it is a real thing. Did it form Helene? Of course not. Can we steer a hurricane? Evidence points to no. On the global warming front, I don’t recall SCW ever discussing the Hunga Tonga eruption two years ago, and the 150 million (estimated) tons of water vapor released into the atmosphere, or how much that might affect global temps or humidity levels.

    But regardless, it’s not particularly helpful to your message and mission to be a trusted source for weather information by belittling people who may not share the same train of thought on weather modification or even climate change.

    • It is polarizing and belittling. It causes separation to take a position that can’t be proven or disproven.

      Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence.

      • What is polarizing is spreading lies that our government is causing catastrophes of weather on its own citizens. You sit on your computer and type up these delusional messages while our “government” (ordinary people) is out there risking life and limb to collect data and give people time to evacuate. Honestly just get lost lol.

    • They did address the effects of Hunga Tonga in the post on August 17, 2023. Just type “hunga tonga” in the search bar and it’ll pop right up.

      I’ll add that humans changing the climate is not the same as humans controlling the weather (or climate). Chaning/altering doesn’t equal controlling.

  46. Thank you SCW for providing the facts and the truth. Politics is polarizing but weather shouldn’t be!! Keep up the good work:)

  47. Great write up! I am a bit speechless over the conspiracy theorists… do they think Hollywood movies are real? 😆🤔😭

  48. I’m sorry you had to make this post, but thankful that you did – though the subsequent fallout is already sad to read. Unfortunately, when someone has gone so far down the rabbit hole, simple facts look like conspiracy. Please keep doing what you’re doing and know it is greatly appreciated. Voted for you two, keep up the good work!

  49. Hurricane Milton is being steered to the west by that cool front that just moved through us. There is nothing unique or suspicious about that. Also Helene devestated areas of both political parties so if the government was trying to magically send a storm to affect one political party, then they did a terrible job. People who spread silly conspiracies like this simply don’t know anything about weather science. Just like the people that blame bad weather events on god punishing certain people. Both arguments are just as dumb in my opinion. 🙄

  50. Too many movies and too many super-naive ideas about how “science / technology” operates and where “science” is currently, for example in meteorology and medicine and really most everything else. Instant access to all kinds of unconnected “data” re-enforces instant gratification desires for all sorts of things and since that is hardly ever possible, conspiracy theories are the only easy answers 😎

  54. Trying to convince MAGA that their conspiracy theories are untrue is not possible. People have been trying this for years. Believing in facts would pop their balloon.

  55. My father was in the military and he used to tell us that in the 50’s forward that controlling weather was a priority for at that time to make sure fields got water etc. for farmers when there were sever drought situations. He said it would be a matter of time before this progress would advance. We lived in an arid desert environment then, so it sorta made sense. Never gave it any more thought until now. I have no reason to not believe him. He was a man of high integrity. So there is reason to pause on this … what if?

  58. Thanks for the intelligent information RE: weather manipulation ! You guys do the best work and I voted for you as the #1 Houston residents !

  59. Want to change the weather ? Get on a plane. I am old enough to have witnessed climate change. Did people have anything to do with it? Of course. I am sure 100 million buffalo ( and no people) did/would have effected it. Cycle of life, billions of years etc., etc… . Has the climate ever been static? I seriously doubt it. Does Al Gore know how to fix it? Ditto. I’ll bet a dollar to a donut hole people who think the government can control the weather also think they can’t control the climate. I say the scale is too grand on both parts. Anyone who says different has a financial stake. Follow the money…

  60. Thank you for addressing concerns about weather tinkling ( Oops, I meant tinkering ).
    So much false info flying around…My husband and also a couple of close friends of mine have taken in and internalized a lot of false information..Basically I change the subject when these topics come up..
    All my adult life I have worked in science (medical) to save lives…It hurts my heart to see people who help others get bashed, by people who do not know what they are talking about..
    I vote for you guys as top Houstonians!

  61. I just voted for you guys. I love and appreciate your “just the facts ma’am” approach to the weather. And it makes me cringe and cry that you even needed to waste your valuable time responding to these insanely crazy conspiracy nuts out there.

    Also, It was nice this morning to turn on the cold water and actually get COLD water. Fall is actually coming….finally! I am glad it is, as I cannot tolerate the extreme heat and humidity any longer.

  62. If we can control weather or even militarize it the. we would have done so in the Middle East, and Ukraine conflict already…

    • Exactly! The day I see a cat 5 slam Alaska or the U.K in January is the day I may start questioning things lol. And the cloud seeding technique is only going to work if the proper atmospheric conditions are already set in place. Cloud seeding isn’t going to do jack squat if you are in the middle of a high pressure system. If they had tried cloud seeding in Texas last summer or the 2011 summer, it would have been mostly ineffective cause the state was stuck under strong high pressure throughout both of those summers.

  63. The problem is that “the science” has been manipulated so severely that it leads people to wonder if anything is legitimate these days. Pharmaceutical drug companies went from the least trusted institution in 2019 to the most trusted overnight. This despite a world still awash in COVID half a decade later. Masks, the fictional “6 feet” rule, etc. Regular people leading their lives see realities that don’t match up with “the science” and they have questions.

    • My experience tells me that when a conventional-wisdom reality doesn’t match up with science, then it’s deficient and needs an upgrade.

  64. This was our coolest morning since April 23rd, approximately 169 days ago. Atleast in Angleton. The airport bottomed out at 55 at 7am. More of this please!

  65. I’m generally supportive of your statement debunking claims that government can control the weather. But you should not dismiss efforts to “do your own research.” Frankly, each of us needs to be skeptical of claims made by anyone, including so-called “experts.” If there are individuals who are misled by doing their own research, then there is a problem with those persons’ critical thinking and reasoning skills. The solution is not to ask people to blindly trust “experts.” Instead, the solution is to improve the U.S. education system and also to warn people about the power of social contagion. Indeed, the best way to stop idiotic conspiracy theories to to convince each individual to think for himself and to avoid unquestionably adopting the views of his social group.

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