Officials in Texas responded Monday to speculation that weather modification played a role in the flooding devastation that killed dozens across the central part of the state over the Fourth of July weekend.
Texas weather manipulation
The backstory:
Sen. Ted Cruz joined officials from hard-hit Kerr County Monday morning at a press conference, and was asked about the speculation that the heavy rains had something to do with weather modification, and if there would be any investigation into that theory.
For context:
“Weather modification” means changing, controlling or attempting to change or control the natural development of atmospheric cloud forms or precipitation, according to the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. This is most commonly done by a process known as cloud seeding. Nine cloud-seeing projects operate in West and South Texas in certain seasons, according to the TDLR.
What they’re saying:
“To the best of my knowledge, there is zero evidence of anything related to anything like weather modification,” Cruz said. “And look, the internet can be a strange place. People can come up with all sorts of crazy theories.”
Texas Sen. Ted Cruz speaks at a press conference the morning of Monday, July 7, 2025, alongside officials from Kerr County, which was devastated by heavy rains and flash flooding over the Fourth of July holiday weekend.
RELATED: Texas flooding: Timeline of National Weather Service alerts
What is cloud seeding?
Big picture view:
Cloud seeding is a weather modification method that uses planes and ground-based cannons to shoot silver iodide crystals into clouds, attracting moisture to the particles that fall in efforts to increase snow or rain.
Cloud seeding is used all over the world.
In 2023, in the United States, the Southern Nevada Water Authority voted to accept a $2.4 million grant from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation to fund cloud seeding in Western states whose rivers feed the parched desert region.
In 2022, China used cloud seeding in efforts to protect its grain crops amid a record-setting drought.
RELATED: Dubai flooding prompts cloud seeding questions
Most recently:
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene brought up the topic of weather modification over the weekend, when she posted on social media the morning of Saturday, July 5, that she was introducing a bill that will make weather modification a felony offense. Her post didn’t allude to a weather modification connection to what happened in Texas.
That same morning, a 2026 GOP Congressional candidate from Georgia, Kandiss Taylor, caused a stir on social media when she tweeted, “Fake weather. Fake hurricanes. Fake flooding. Fake. Fake. Fake.” She said her post was referring to the legislation being proposed regarding weather modifications, not what happened in Texas.
Texas flash flooding
What happened:
A July Fourth weekend deluge in Central Texas caused catastrophic flash flooding that has killed at least 89 people.
An all-girls summer camp, Camp Mystic, along the Guadalupe River in Kerr County was hit especially hard and is grieving the loss of 27 campers and counselors. Several more were still missing days later.
RELATED: Camp Mystic confirms 27 campers, counselors die in Guadalupe River flooding
What they’re saying:
“In the wake of every tragedy, there are things that are predictable. One of those things that’s predictable is that you see some people engaging in partisan games and trying to blame their political opponents for a natural disaster,” Cruz said Monday.
“After we come through search and rescue, after we come through the process of rebuilding, there will naturally be a period of retrospection where you look back and say, okay, what exactly transpired? What was the timeline and what could have been done differently to prevent this loss of life? And that’s a natural process. I think it should not happen in a bitter and partisan sense, but it should happen in a reasonable sense of say, what lessons can we learn?” he continued.
Meanwhile:
The risk of life-threatening flooding is still high in central Texas this week with more rain on the way.
RELATED: How you can help people in Kerrville
The Source: Information in this article was taken from public remarks given by Sen. Ted Cruz at a Kerr County press briefing on July 7, 2025; from the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation; and from public posts on X made by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene and Kandiss Taylor. Background information on the flooding was taken from previous FOX 7 Austin reports.
