Towards precipitation enhancement through cloud seeding in Kenya

Abstract

The study investigated potential of enhan-cing precipitation through cloud seeding duringOctober-November-December (OND) season.Rainfall, cloud top temperature (CTT), aerosoloptical depth (AOD) and wind data were used.Short-Cut Bartlett correlation, composite windand time series analysis, and HYSPLIT back-ward trajectory analysis were used to achievethe objectives of study. Precipitation showeddecreasing patterns with peaks between pentad65 and 68. Delineated dry years (18) exceededwet years (9). Low level winds were predomi-nantly north-easterly during dry years characte-rized by continental trajectory. AOD valuesincreased in all stations during dry year withaerosol load being higher in areas characteri-zed by depressed rainfall. Pollutants suspended1000 above mean sea level (AMSL) originatedfrom Arabian and India subcontinent and pollu-tants suspended below 1000 AMSL were predo-minantly south easterly during wet years origi-nated from Western Indian Ocean and characte-rized by maritime trajectory. Mean CTT duringdry/wet years were positve over coastal areaswhile central, Rift-valley and Lake Victoria basinshowed negative values, indicating presence ofseedable conditions and thus potential cloudseeding to enhance rainfall and alleviate exi-sting water stress