More than 2 million Oregonians live in drought-stricken areas. Dry summers in the Pacific Northwest affect various industries, including agriculture, water supply, fisheries and hydropower. But could science change that?

Cloud seeding is an 80-year-old technology in which tiny particles, often of silver iodide, are added to clouds via aircraft to help trigger rain or snow.

Rainmaker, based in California, has been testing this technology using drones in areas across the country, including in Pendleton.

Parker Cardwell is the chief operating officer for the company. He joins us to share more on what cloud seeding is and what the company has learned in Oregon.

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News Source : https://www.opb.org/article/2026/08/17/think-out-loud-california-company-tests-cloud-seeding-pendleton/