Hurricanes and Forest Fires -64- 



Langmuir made some interesting observations with regard to the nature 

 of the hurricane. (12) Speaking of the results of the seeding test, he said: 



"The main thing that we learn from this flight is that we 

 need to know enormously more than we do at present about hur- 

 ricanes." 



He concluded: 



"It seems to me that next year's program should be to 

 study hurricanes away from land, maybe out considerably 

 beyond Bermuda, out in the middle of the Atlantic... I think 

 the chances are excellent that, with increased knowledge, I 

 think we should be able to abolish the evil effects of these 

 hurricanes." 



OPERATION RED 



On October 29, 1947, a flight operation was carried out in Vermont and 

 New Hampshire. At that time severe forest fires were raging uncontrolled 

 in various parts of New England. Although it was not the policy of Project 

 Cirrus to carry out such a widespread operation, it was felt that it would 

 be worth the additional effort required to make such a flight for the exper- 

 ience to be gained, particularly since it would be possible to use Schenectady 

 as the base of operations. 



The flight was well planned from an operational point of view, but the re- 

 sults were not spectacular, because of the absence over much of the area of 

 suitable clouds --contrary to a forecast the previous day. Instead of encoun- 

 tering a cloud deck at 18,000 feet as indicated by the forecast, the top of the 

 stratus was about 10,000 feet, with isolated cumulus reaching a maximum of 

 about 14,000 feet. 



Seeding operations were carried out by two B-17's, the one normally 

 in use by Project Cirrus and another furnished by Major Keating of Olmsted 

 Field of the Signal Corps Weather Squadron. The site of operation was over 

 some of the stratus near Montpelier, Vermont, and in the cumulus develop- 

 ments. Practically all of the latter showed the effect of seeding after five 

 to eight minutes. Subsequent reports indicated the development of some 

 fairly intense local showers along the flight path. 



The next day word was received from Alan Bemis of the Massachusetts 

 Institute of Technology Radar Research Group that there had been a sudden 

 increase in radar echoes in the vicinity of Concord, New Hampshire shortly 

 after the seeding runs. Fortunately Bemis had learned of the proposed op- 

 erations and had made it a point to obtain complete radar coverage of the 



