Turning the Tide: Strategies to Halt Cyclones in Their Tracks

In the 1960s, the U.S. launched Project Stormfury. The goal? To see if cloud seeding with silver iodide could stop hurricanes. This sparked suspicion from Fidel Castro in Cuba. The project found some links between cloud seeding and weaker hurricanes, but it was eventually dropped.

Today, researchers are revisiting this idea, especially in Australia where there aren’t many land borders to complicate things. They see potential in tackling early-stage cyclones, known as embryonic cyclones. These are essentially low-pressure systems that could develop into dangerous storms.

Associate Professor Roslyn Prinsley from the Australian National University (ANU) points out that it might be easier and cheaper to intervene at this stage. However, the challenge lies in predicting which embryonic cyclones will intensify and become threats. “It’s crucial to know when and where to intervene,” she says, explaining that not all cyclones cause significant damage, especially those that remain at sea.

With climate change, cyclones are evolving. They’re moving inland and intensifying, carrying more rainfall. In northern Australia, homes are built to withstand strong cyclones, but places like Brisbane are not as prepared. Cyclones—called hurricanes in the Atlantic and typhoons in the Northwest Pacific—form over warm ocean waters and gain energy before making landfall.

Researchers are also investigating ways to cool ocean temperatures to mitigate cyclone strength. Bill Gates and climate scientist Ken Caldeira even patented a method involving turbines to bring up cooler water to weaken storms. Meanwhile, a Norwegian startup called Ocean Therm is developing a concept with ships that release cold water from the depths of the ocean, potentially downgrading powerful hurricanes to milder storms.

Although these methods show promise, Prinsley cautions that cooling the ocean could be more expensive and take longer than using aerosol interventions. The research continues, aiming to find the best ways to address the increasing threat of cyclones and their impacts.

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