Watching Clouds Drifting By

Three weeks of steadily splendid weather in western Massachusetts had degenerated into full drought conditions, and the Authorities were worried. Not only would arid reservoirs and careless campers soon produce uncontrollable forest fires, but meanwhile, such communities as North Adams and Sheffield were having to neglect drinking, bathing and other amenities.

Hoping to find, at once, a solution and a story, I contacted Wallace Howell, who, during his stay with Harvard's Department of Meteorology, had gained a hefty reputation for his work seeding clouds. "Our average for territory like Massachusetts would be a 30-40 percent increase in the monthly rainfall," Howell explained.

He smiled when asked if Howell Associates would be willing to work for Massachusetts. "Sure, that's what we're in business for. But somebody would have to approach us about it, and nobody has yet. Check with the State House."

With this lead, I called Mr. Kingsberry of the Public Health Department. He explained that the man to see, Henry J. Broderick, was out of town. "You see, he's the chairman of the State Weather Amendment Board, but he couldn't really help you because no State agency is empowered to do anything about the weather."

I asked what Mr. Broderick's Board did, if not amend weather. "Well," said Kingsberry, "You see, we on the Board don't do any work, we just pass on applications by any one who wants to try and do something about the weather."

"Since we started in 1951 there's been only one application to make rain: The Worcester Farmers' Field Day, Inc. thought it would be nice to demonstrate science over the fair grounds by having a fake storm. But the Board turned down the request. You see, they couldn't pin point it or guarantee that the rain wouldn't spread to places where other people mightn't want it."

Mr. Kingsberry paused a moment, trying to remember more pertinent facts. "Oh yes," he went on, "they had rotten luck on their timing. The day the hearing came up it was raining very hard, and I think about two or three inches fell."