Weather modification is also commonly known as cloud seeding, cloud modification, atmospheric resource management, and precipitation management. Weather Modification, Inc. specializes and excels in all aspects of this water management technology.

Specifically, we offer a complete range of services from turn-key operational programs for rainfall increase (rain enhancement), snow pack augmentation, hail damage mitigation (hail suppression), and fog clearing (fog dissipation), to technical assistance and/or technology transfer for all of these.

In addition, we can provide complete weather radar services, including interfaces with TITAN full-sky radar data archival software, a complete line of proven and FAA-approved seeding equipment, seeding aircraft, atmospheric research instrumentation, and aircraft modification for these purposes.

We have been conducting weather operations and research since 1961, and constantly strive to improve all aspects of these atmospheric water management tools. We invite visitors to our Fargo, North Dakota facilities. Just e-mail us at info@weathermod.com, and we will be pleased to answer any questions you may have.

Patrick H. Sweeney is the current president of Weather Modification Inc., a worldwide atmospheric research and cloud seeding company conducting business in Europe, Africa, Middle East, Asia, South America and North America. He also serves as chief executive officer of Fargo Jet Center Inc., a full service aviation service company based at Hector International Airport, Fargo, ND.

Upon high school graduation, Mr. Sweeney enlisted in the United States Navy in 1970 and received an honorable discharge in 1973. Mr. Sweeney received his Bachelor of Science degree from the University of North Dakota (UND), Grand Forks, ND, in 1978 with a major in Industrial Technology. He also received his Commercial Pilot instrument and multi-engine training while at UND. He began his career with Weather Modification Inc. in 1975 as a summer electronics technician in Bowman, ND. In 1979 he was named vice president and became a stockholder of the company. Upon gaining controlling interest of the business in 1992, he moved the operation to Fargo and was named president. In 1995 he established its sister company, Fargo Jet Center Inc. As president of these organizations, Mr. Sweeney oversees all company operations and is responsible for all technical and aircraft operations.

Mr. Sweeney is a certified operator and past president of the Weather Modification Association and is a member of the North Dakota Water Users Association, the North Dakota Pilots Association as well as the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association.

Since the early 1960s, Weather Modification Inc. has been a worldwide leader in the field of cloud modification, atmospheric research and technology transfer for private and public insurance companies, water resource management organizations and federal and state research organizations. Weather Modification, Inc. is committed to staying ahead of developments in weather modification, aviation, meteorology, cloud physics and atmospheric research to achieve the maximum benefits of weather modification technology and its effects on water supplies around the world. Weather Modification Inc. works extensively with Fargo Jet Center Inc. to maintain and modify all 33 owned aircraft including its flagship, a Model 35 Learjet.

After realizing the need for improved designs in pyrotechnic flares and chemicals for the cloud seeding industry, Mr. Sweeney formed Ice Crystal Engineering LLC in March 1999 to design, manufacture and market new cloud seeding pyrotechnics. Today, Ice Crystal Engineering LLC is the largest producer of cloud seeding pyrotechnics in the world.

Under the direction and influence of Mr. Sweeney, Weather Modification Inc. has always taken an entrepreneurial approach with employees. Employees are given a job with minimal supervision in a secure, stable environment. The organization has grown from 12 employees in 1992 to over 130 to date. A 20% annual employment growth during the next three years is expected. Weather Modification, Inc. annually budgets for training – both internally and externally – encouraging employees to enhance current skills as well as develop new ones.

Patrick Sweeney and Weather Modification, Inc. have been featured in articles in Canadian Geographic and The Furrow magazines, the Export-Import Bank of the United States Annual Report FY 2001 and a segment of the Discovery Channel’s Future Sciences television series.

While attending the Governor’s International Trade Conference event in Fargo in September 2002, Mr. Sweeney was presented the 2002 North Dakota Exporter of the Year award by North Dakota Governor John Hoeven and sponsored by the North Dakota District Export Council, the Department of Commerce and the North Dakota Manufacturing Extension Partnership. During the conference Mr. Sweeney participated on a panel discussion with other state leaders and business people who have a large interest in cultivating North Dakota’s presence in the domestic and international marketplace.

In spring 2001, Mr. Sweeney was a recipient of the “2001 Business Innovator of the Year” award. This award, given by the University of North Dakota’s Center for Innovation, recognizes the new generation of entrepreneurial leaders who are changing the way business is being done, discovering new approaches, exploring new frontiers and building new operations through innovation. In addition, Weather Modification Inc. was nominated to receive the “2000 Small Business of the Year” award from the Fargo-Moorhead business community and the Chamber of Commerce of Fargo-Moorhead. In 1997 he was awarded the “Small Business Exporter of the Year” by North Dakota’s U.S. Small Business Administration.

Weather Modification, Inc., (WMI) offers a variety of fully functional aircraft to meet all cloud seeding project and cloud physics research needs.

The type of aircraft best-suited for any particular project is determined by the:

c. temperature regimes during which the program is to operate (warm season or cold season)

e. the extent of the cloud physics and atmospheric aerosol-measurement instrumentation to be flown.

Though proficient at adapting most any aircraft type for cloud seeding and/or cloud physics applications, WMI has found by experience that there are five aircraft types especially well-suited to these needs. These aircraft types have proven themselves repeatedly, based on performance, endurance, dependability, economy, availability of parts, payload, dual-engine redundancy, and the ability to operate in aircraft icing environments.

Primarily because we conduct operations whenever suitable clouds are present, day or night, we require that our aircraft be multi-engine. In the event of an engine failure, the aircraft can then return safely to an airport.

WMI is very experienced in aircraft modifications. We have routinely completed FAA-approved installations of seeding equipment and cloud physics instrumentation, as well as sampling equipment for atmospheric chemistry on aerosols.

Our extensive experience includes small, twin-engine, piston aircraft through King Airs and Lear Jets.

Whatever your instrumentation or aircraft needs, WMI can do the job in compliance with all FAA rules and regulations.

Weather Modification, Inc. offers a wide variety of aircraft modifications for special purposes. WMI manufactures and installs cloud seeding equipment for all purposes. Equipment types for airborne operations include pyrotechnic flare racks, dry ice dispensers, and seeding generators.