In this study, we investigated the characteristics of the meteorological and environmental conditions for a cloud seeding experiment over the Korean peninsula and estimated the available days for the same. The conditions of available days appropriate for a cloud seeding experiment were classified according to four purposes: water resources, drought relief, forest fire prevention, and air quality improvement. The average number of available days for a cloud seeding experiment were 91.27 (water resources), 45.93–51.11 (drought relief), 40.28–46.00 (forest fire prevention), and 42.19–44.60 days/year (air quality improvement). If six experiments were carried out per available day for a cloud seeding experiment, the number of times cloud seeding experiments could be conducted per year in a continuously operating system were estimated as 547.62 (water resources), 275.58–306.66 (drought relief), 241.68–276.00 (forest fire prevention), and 253.14–267.60 times/year (air quality improvement). From this result, it was possible to determine the appropriate meteorological and environmental conditions and statistically estimate the available days for a cloud seeding experiment. The data on the available days for a cloud seeding experiment might be useful for preparing and performing such an experiment.

In this study, we investigated the optimal meteorological conditions for cloud seeding using aircraft over the Korean Peninsula. The weather conditions were analyzed using various data sources such as a weather chart, upper air observation, aircraft observation, and a numerical model for cloud seeding experiments conducted from 2018 to 2019 by the National Institute of Meteorological Sciences, Korea Meteorological Administration. Cloud seeding experiments were performed in the seasons of autumn (37.0%) and winter (40.7%) in the West Sea and Gangwon-do. Silver iodide (70.4%) and calcium chloride (29.6%) were used as cloud seeding materials for the experiments. The cloud seeding experiments used silver iodide in cold clouds. Aircraft observation revealed relatively low temperatures, low liquid water content, and strong wind speeds in clouds with a weak updraft. In warm clouds, the cloud seeding experiments used calcium chloride. Observations included relatively high temperatures, high liquid water content, and weak wind speeds in clouds with a weak updraft. Based upon these results, we determined the comprehensive meteorological conditions for cloud seeding experiments using aircraft over the Korean Peninsula. The understanding of optimal weather conditions for cloud seeding gained from this study provide information critical for performing successful cloud seeding and rain enhancement.