Honduras still has half of the cloud-seeding flights pending ahead of the upcoming dry season

The authorities warn of a prolonged and hot period, which is why they consider it important to prepare in advance. (Photo: SAG) Honduras still has half of the flights planned under the cloud seeding program pending execution, an initiative launched to promote rainfall in areas vulnerable to drought. The authorities report favorable results and are analyzing the possibility of expanding operations, depending on weather conditions. The minister of the Secretariat of Agriculture and Livestock (SAG), Moisés Molina, confirmed that a significant portion of the aerial operations still remains to be completed and highlighted the results obtained so far. "The cloud seeding we have carried out has undoubtedly yielded good results, and we still have half of the flights pending," the official stated when referring to the project's progress. Molina explained that the continuation of operations will depend on weather conditions and on the assessment made by the authorities regarding the need to maintain actions to promote rainfall in the national territory. The official also warned about the importance of adopting preparedness measures ahead of the upcoming dry season, which, according to his forecasts, could be prolonged and bring high temperatures. The SAG minister reported that the cloud seeding program has recorded favorable results and that there are still operations left to execute. (PHOTO: Hondudiario) At the end of September, SAG engineer Wilmer Caballero reported that the project's first flights generated significant rainfall in areas within the influence of the Honduran Dry Corridor. However, the technician noted that a specialized analysis is needed to determine how much the procedure influenced the recorded rainfall, since precipitation also depends on other atmospheric factors. The evaluation will make it possible to establish with greater precision the effects of the intervention and provide technical information to determine the scope of this strategy in the face of periods of rainfall scarcity. The initiative is backed by a government investment, whose amount has not been publicly specified in the information provided, as well as contributions from the private sector, mainly from companies linked to the sugar industry and vegetable production in the areas of influence. Private contributions represent between 3% and 20% of the total investment, according to the information provided about the financing scheme. The execution of the service is in the hands of two providers. One is responsible for the technical and chemical components necessary to carry out the operations, an item that accounts for 89% of the investment; the other provides the aircraft used to conduct the flights, with an 11% share. The project's first operations reported rainfall in areas affected by rainfall scarcity, although a technical analysis is required to measure its impact. (Photo: Secretariat of Agriculture and Livestock) The distribution of resources covers both the specialized inputs and the aerial logistics required to intervene in the selected areas, according to weather conditions. According to the information provided on the program's development, three cloud seeding flights had been carried out in different parts of the country. The first took place on Saturday, September 26, in sectors of southern Francisco Morazán and northern Choluteca. The second operation occurred on Sunday, September 27, and covered areas of northern Francisco Morazán, Comayagua, Yoro, Talanga, and Morocelí. The third flight was carried out the following Monday, between 1:00 and 5:00 in the afternoon, in the departments of Valle and La Paz. The operations have been concentrated in regions identified for their vulnerability to lack of rainfall, with special attention to the Dry Corridor areas. While the execution of the pending flights is being scheduled, the SAG will have to assess atmospheric conditions and the results of the interventions to determine whether it is appropriate to expand the project.