Cloud Seeding: What It Is and Why It Failed in Delhi in 2025

Every winter, Delhi struggles with a thick blanket of smog. In 2025, the city turned to an ambitious and much publicized solution - cloud seeding, or what many call “artificial rain.”  A technique used across the world to trigger rainfall during droughts. With rising temperatures, depleting groundwater, and long dry spells, cloud seeding looked like a ray of hope. 

But the plan failed. Why? And what does this mean for the future of rainmaking in Delhi? 

More importantly—why are water conservation and tree plantation still the real long-term solutions? 

The hope? Wash the pollution out of the air and bring some relief during the worst months of the year. But despite the hype, the cloud seeding attempts in 2025 did not deliver meaningful rainfall.

 What Is Cloud Seeding? 

Cloud seeding is a technique used around the world to encourage clouds to produce rain. It works by releasing tiny particles usually silver iodide, dry ice, or salt -into clouds using aircraft or ground-based generators. These particles act as nuclei. Water vapor in the cloud sticks to them, forms droplets, grows heavier, and ideally falls as rain. 

Countries use cloud seeding for: 

• drought relief 

• boosting reservoir levels 

• wildfire control 

• pollution reduction 

But one important rule always applies: 

Cloud seeding only works if rain-friendly clouds already exist. It cannot create clouds from scratch. 

Why Cloud Seeding Failed in Delhi in 2025 

In October 2025, Delhi conducted multiple cloud-seeding trials to create artificial rain. But almost no rainfall occurred — and not enough to clear up the pollution. 

Here’s what went wrong: 

1. Clouds Did Not Have Enough Moisture 

This was the biggest reason for failure.  

Cloud seeding cannot create clouds. It needs already-formed, moisture-heavy clouds. In early 2025, Delhi’s atmosphere was too dry- clouds were scattered, thin, and moisture-deficient. 

According to IIT Kanpur and IMD: 

• Delhi’s clouds had only 15–20% moisture 

• Successful cloud seeding needs 50–60% moisture 

With such dry clouds, the silver iodide and salt particles had almost nothing to work with. Droplets couldn’t form, grow, or fall. 

2. Unfavorable Weather Conditions 

Delhi‘s air pollution adds too many particulate matter into the air. When there are too many particles, cloud droplets become too tiny to merge and fall as rain. Think of it like trying to make a snowball out of powder—it won’t stick. 

Delhi’s October–November atmosphere is: 

• dry 

• warm in the upper layers 

• lacking strong vertical cloud growth 

• low in humidity 

Cloud seeding works best on thick, tall, rain-bearing clouds. Delhi mostly had thin, scattered, weak clouds  and some days had none.  Even natural rain was unlikely, let alone artificial rain. 

3. Weak Winds and Poor Cloud Dynamics 

For seeding to work, the chemicals must spread inside the cloud. 

But Delhi had: 

• very low wind movement 

• weak updrafts 

• poor cloud circulation 

As a result, the seeding material could not mix well inside the clouds. 

Imagine dropping seeds into still water — they won’t spread. The same happened in the sky. 

4. Heavy Pollution Blocked Cloud Development 

Ironically, the pollution Delhi hoped to remove also contributed to the failure. 

High pollution causes: 

• temperature inversion (warm air above, cold air below) 

• suppressed cloud formation 

• reduced moisture uplift 

This prevents clouds from growing into rain-bearing systems. 

The atmosphere simply wasn’t supportive. 

5. Very High Cost, Very Low Output 

Delhi spent over ₹3 crore on the five trials. 

Results? 

• 0 mm meaningful rainfall in Delhi 

• Minor traces in a few NCR pockets 

• No significant improvement in air quality 

Experts called it “too expensive for too little effect.” 

6. Cloud Seeding Is Not a Guaranteed Technology 

Even globally — UAE, China, US — cloud seeding has only a 20–40% success rate under ideal conditions. 

Delhi’s conditions were far from ideal. 

Cloud seeding is a scientific experiment, not a magic switch. 

 Then Why Try It at All? 

Despite the failure, scientists gained something valuable: 

• Data on cloud behaviour 

• Pollution reaction patterns 

• Understanding of Delhi’s atmospheric response 

IIT Kanpur reported a 6–10% reduction in PM levels in some areas, although this was temporary and not enough to be considered a success. 

The trials also provided insights that may help in future years - but only if the weather cooperates. 

Then What Should We Do Instead? 

Cloud seeding is like a temporary band-aid. Delhi needs long-term healing. 

1. Water Conservation 

If we save the water we already HAVE, we don’t need to rely on artificial rain. 

Simple measures can save millions of litres: 

• Rainwater harvesting in homes and offices 

• Greywater reuse for gardening & flushing 

• Fixing leaks (Delhi loses 40% water to leakage!) 

• Using water-efficient fixtures 

• Community water storage tanks 

• Encouraging industries to recycle treated water 

• 
  

Cloud seeding may or may not give rain. But water conservation always works. 

2. Tree Plantation: The Real Rainmakers 

Trees don’t just give shade—they influence rainfall. 

How trees help bring rain: 

• Trees release moisture into the air through transpiration 

• They help cool the air and encourage cloud formation 

• Forests act as natural rain attractors 

• They reduce air pollution—making clouds healthier 

• They restore soil moisture and groundwater 

If Delhi increases its green cover even by 10%, it can significantly improve: 

• Humidity 

• Cloud formation 

• Rainfall consistency 

Trees are nature’s original cloud-seeding machines—100% eco-friendly, 100% effective. 

Conclusion: A Good Idea, Wrong Conditions 

Delhi’s cloud seeding failed in 2025 because the weather didn’t support artificial rain. 

To be successful, cloud seeding requires: 

• moisture-rich clouds 

• high humidity 

• Pollution

• Water scarcity etc.