In The NoCo

How a new project will use electrical charges to increase rainfall on farms in Weld County

By In The NoCo,

Published October 17, 2025 at 5:35 AM MDT

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storm clouds form over an old, rustic barn with Colorado mountain foothills in the background

Science is about to make it rain a little bit more over Weld County – and provide farmers with some extra moisture for their crops.

That's the goal behind a plan announced last week to allow a new type of cloud seeding in Colorado on a limited basis. Cloud seeding refers to techniques developed by scientists to make rainfall happen. The plans for this upcoming pilot project rely on usingelectricity to produce more rain.

This marks the first time this technology is being used in Colorado. And if it’s a success for farmers in Weld County, we could see more of it used to irrigate farmland across the state soon.

Alex Hager spoke with In The NoCo’s Erin O’Toole about the science behind this plan. Check out Alex’s story about the project.

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In The NoCo

KUNC's In The NoCo is a daily slice of stories, news, people and issues. It's a window to the communities along the Colorado Rocky Mountains. The show brings context and insight to the stories of the day, often elevating unheard voices in the process. And because life in Northern Colorado is a balance of work and play, we celebrate the lighter side of things here, too.

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Brad Turner

Brad Turner is an executive producer in KUNC's newsroom. He manages the podcast team that makes In The NoCo, which also airs weekdays in Morning Edition and All Things Considered. His work as a podcaster and journalist has appeared on NPR's Weekend Edition, NPR Music, the PBS Newshour, Colorado Public Radio, MTV Online, the Denver Post, Boulder's Daily Camera, and the Longmont Times-Call.

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Alex Hager

Alex is KUNC's reporter covering the Colorado River Basin. He spent two years at Aspen Public Radio, mainly reporting on the resort economy, the environment and the COVID-19 pandemic. Before that, he covered the world’s largest sockeye salmon fishery for KDLG in Dillingham, Alaska.

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Erin O'Toole

As the host of KUNC’s news program and podcast In The NoCo, I work closely with our producers and reporters to bring context and diverse perspectives to the important issues of the day. Northern Colorado is such a diverse and growing region, brimming with history, culture, music, education, civic engagement, and amazing outdoor recreation. I love finding the stories and voices that reflect what makes NoCo such an extraordinary place to live.

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