Texas Floods Not Caused by Weather Modification, Despite Online Rumors

Unsubstantiated claims connecting severe weather to human attempts at weather modification are again circulating on social media. The flash flooding that struck the Guadalupe River in Texas on July 4, tragically resulting in at least 134 fatalities—including 37 children—was caused by tropical storm remnants stalling over an area infamous for such events. Experts assert that climate change exacerbated rainfall intensity, but social media posts, including those propagated by former Trump adviser Michael Flynn, incorrectly suggested these floods resulted from weather manipulation, specifically through cloud seeding.Cloud seeding is a genuine technique, usually used to alleviate drought by promoting minor precipitation. Researchers have clarified that the methods employed had no bearing on the July 4 flooding. Experts maintain that climate change, primarily driven by fossil fuel emissions, significantly heightened rainfall levels in Texas. In fact, Texas State Climatologist John Nielsen-Gammon confirmed this connection, emphasizing the increased water vapor due to warming temperatures.