Cumulus Studies -42- 



PRIEST RIVER STUDY 



Meanwhile the study of cumulus clouds had been approached from an- 

 other angle. Early in 1948 a visit was paid to the Research Laboratory and 

 Project Cirrus by H. T. Gisborne of the Northern Rocky Mountain Forest 

 and Range Experiment Station, United States Forest Service. Gisborne was 

 in charge of fire research for Region No. 1. He wanted to learn more about 

 cloud modification studies. 



This fitted in nicely with Schaefer's interest in the same subject. He 

 was anxious to study thunderstorms in a good breeding ground, and Gisborne 

 wanted to see if anything could- be done to reduce forest fires by thunderstorm 

 modification. 



Asa result, Schaefer visited the Laboratory at Priest River, Idaho, in 

 July of that year (1948). He conducted quite a study of conditions there and 

 made rather complete recommendations for a plan of future activity- -a plan 

 which should produce beneficial results from both standpoints: Gisborne 's 

 practical aspects and Schaefer's theoretical ones/ ' 



Actually, the recommendations were never put into effect. A consid- 

 erable force for the completion of the project disappeared with the death of 

 Gisborne. Although the project is still incomplete, interest still exists, how- 

 ever, both at Schenectady and at Priest River,. 



RESULTS IN HAWAn 



Further data, supplied from still another source, had some unexpected 

 and very interesting implications and results. 



Early in 1947 a request for information on techniques of dry-ice seeding 

 was received from the Pineapple Research Institute of Honolulu, Hawaii. This 

 information was supplied by the Research Group of Project Cirrus, which had 

 been supplying similar information to meet numerous requests since the pub- 

 lished reports appeared of Schaefer's historic snowmaking flight over Pitts - 

 field in 1946. Eut in this case there was an unexpected aftermath. 



In October, Honolulu newspaper accounts were received in Schenectady, 

 describing experiments carried out over the island of Molokai by Dr. L. E. 

 Leopold and Maurice Halstead of the Pineapple Research Institute. A few 

 weeks later, copies of a preliminary report were received from these two 

 men, describing interesting results obtained by dumping dry ice into cumulus 

 clouds having temperatures above the freezing point. 



