Monsoon Season in Las Vegas

Well, let's see if today's blog surprises anyone.

Monsoon season


Well, here we are in Las Vegas, Nevada, at day 23 of our monsoon season. So far we have set a record with a total of 35 raindrops.

We get lots of nice looking clouds that move in every day and increase our humidity to go along with our 120 degree days, but we still only get a measly 35 drops of rain in 23 days.

That's right, I said 35 drops total!



We have seen a spectacular lightning show though.










Did you know?

Lightning strikes somewhere on the surface of the earth about 100 times every second.
Lightning is a powerful natural electrostatic discharge produced during a thunderstorm. This abrupt electric discharge is accompanied by the emission of visible light and other forms of electromagnetic radiation. The electric current passing through the discharge channels rapidly heats and expands the air into plasma producing acoustic shock waves (thunder) in the atmosphere.

Sorry I got off track. Back to the rain, or lack of.



With no rain, I think it is time to seed the clouds.

Did you know about cloud seeding?

Cloud seeding got its start in 1946 when Dr. Vincent J. Schaefer, working at the General Electric Laboratory in New York, was involved with research to create artificial clouds in a chilled chamber. Seeding of tropical cumulus clouds, and indeed any clouds, requires that they contain supercooled water--that is, liquid water colder than zero Celsius. Introduction of a substance, such as silver iodide, that has a crystalline structure similar to that of ice will induce freezing.

In mid-latitude clouds, the usual seeding strategy has been based upon the vapor pressure being lower over water than over ice. When ice particles form in supercooled clouds, they grow at the expense of liquid droplets and become heavy enough to fall as rain from clouds that otherwise would produce none.

A little known fact is Nevada used to be a testing ground for cloud seeding, though no one knows about it as it was a government-type test to see how to control the weather for foreign combat zones.

There is still research being conducted for that very purpose. In case you are interested click here to see the research paper presented to the United States Air Force in 2005.




OK, now that is some deep stuff coming from a guy like me, but I want my readers to be on the cutting edge of science stuff.

Now I ask you, aren't you surprised??

Doesn't this blog keep you on the edge of your seat wanting more?

Don't you want to share this site with your friends?

Well gitter done!!!!!!!!!!!

http://wags-blog.blogspot.com/

Personal to Stac: Got your comments for 7- 21 and 7-17 posts. If you hit the archives you will see more about your Mr. Bonds!!!! Glad you are reading the best blog going!!! That's points ya know!!!!