Cloud Seeding Company ‘Rainmaker’ Claims It Can Generate Powder Days

June 4, 2026

Weather manipulation has become a commercial service, with a young company called Rainmaker now selling precipitation to ski resorts and state governments. The company claims it can generate powder days through cloud seeding, a process that releases silver iodide particles into cold, wet clouds to encourage snow formation. This technology is being deployed across the Western United States, particularly in Colorado and Utah, where ski resorts and state agencies are spending millions to combat severe snow droughts.

Rainmaker Technology Corp. uses a distinctive drone-based approach, sending trucks into mountainous areas like the Wasatch Mountains with around a dozen drones. Six drones fly at a time to spray silver iodide into clouds while the other six recharge, creating a continuous operation. The company partners with Snowbird Resort, one of the snowiest ski resorts in the U.S. Other methods include ground-based generators near resorts like Winter Park and plane-based seeding where pilots fly up to spray dry ice and silver iodide.

The effectiveness of cloud seeding remains debated among scientists. Studies from the Wyoming Weather Modification Program show seeding produces approximately 5–15% more snow per seedable storm in target watersheds. However, critics point out that while more snow forms, it’s unclear if it accumulates sufficiently to justify the investment. Some resorts like Vail abandoned their cloud-seeding programs in 2020 due to mixed results. Despite skepticism, the practice continues to expand as the Western U.S. struggles with ongoing drought conditions and ski resorts seek ways to ensure adequate snowpack.  Gear Junkie