Rapid and significant advances in issues relevant to weather modification have been made in the last decade in China due to high water resource stresses and severe weather hazards induced by climate change. This paper reported some progress in aspects of theoretical modeling, field experiment and cloud-seeding tools, as well as research projects regarding weather modification during the ten years from 1997 to 2007. More advanced theoretical models such as cloud models with bin-microphysics and glaciogenic and hygroscopic seeding processes, and mesoscale cloud-resolving models with AgI-seeding processes have been developed to study seeding-induced changes of cloud structure and precipitation as well as to understand critical issues in association with weather modification. More advanced cloud-seeding tools such as mobile ground-based launching system of AgI-rockets and aircraft-based AgI-flares have been developed and used in operation. Several important projects aimed at exploring weather modification techniques and their applications have been conducted during this period.
The capabilities of cloud-resolving numerical models, observational instruments and cloud seeding have improved greatly over recent years in China. The subject of this review focuses on the main progresses made in China in the areas of cloud modeling, field observations, aerosol–cloud interactions, the effects of urbanization on cloud and precipitation, and weather modification.Well-equipped aircraft and ground-based advanced Doppler and polarized radars have been rapidly applied in cloudseeding operations. The combined use of modern techniques such as the Global Positioning System, remote sensing, and Geographical Information Systems has greatly decreased the blindness and uncertainties in weather-modification activities.Weather-modification models based on state-of-the-art cloud-resolving models are operationally run at the National Weather Modification Centre in China for guiding weather-modification programs.Despite important progress having been made, many critical issues or challenges remain to be solved, or require stronger scientific evidence and support, such as the chain of physical events involved in the effects induced by cloud seeding. Current important progresses in measurements and seeding techniques provide the opportunity and possibility to reduce these deficiencies. Long-term scientific projects aimed at reducing these key uncertainties are extremely urgent and important for weather-modification activities in China.
Analyses of cloud water path （CWP） data over China available from the International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project （ISCCP） are performed for the period 1984-2004. Combined with GPCP precipitation data, cloud water cycle index （CWCI） is also calculated. The climatic distributions of CWP are found to be dependent on large-scale circulation, topographical features, water vapor transport and similar distribution features which are found in CWCI except in the Sichuan Basin. Influenced by the Asia monsoon, CWP over China exhibits very large seasonal variations in different regions. The seasonal cycles of CWCI in different regions are consistent and the largest CWCI occurs in July. The long-term trends of CWP and CWCI are investigated, too. Increasing trends of CWP are found during the period with the largest increase found in winter. The decreasing trends of CWCI dominate most regions of China. The differences in long-term trends between CWP and CWCI suggest that CWP only can influence the variation of CWCI to a certain extent and that other factors need to be involved in cloud water cycle researches. This phenomenon reveals the complexity of the hydrological cycle related to cloud water.
