Changchun, May 5 (Zhongxin Net) -- Jilin Province, which is suffering from a spring drought, recently fell a "timely rain." It is reported that this is a large-scale air-land coordinated rain enhancement operation carried out by the Jilin Meteorological Bureau using favorable weather conditions. As of 13 o'clock on the 13th, light rain fell in the operation affected area, and local rain fell to moderate rain.
Jilin Province is located in the world's "Golden Corn Belt" and "Golden Rice Belt", and its per capita grain possession, grain commodity rate, grain export volume and corn export volume are among the top in China. In 2022, the total grain output of Jilin Province reached 816.16 billion jin, continuing to remain the fifth in the country.
Crews launch ground-based rain-boosting rockets. Photo courtesy of Jilin Provincial Weather Modification Office
According to reports, since the beginning of this year (January 1-May 1), the average precipitation in Jilin Province has been 5.11 mm, 57.5% less than the same period of the year. From May 25 to 1, the average precipitation in Jilin Province was only 5.1 mm, 11.4% less than the same period of the year.
Ma Shuqing, an agricultural meteorological expert from the Jilin Meteorological Service Center, said that since entering the spring plowing period in late April this year, the distribution of precipitation in various places has been uneven, with more precipitation in the central and southeastern regions, less precipitation in the central and western regions, and the temperature in the province is also lower than usual year-round, which will affect the emergence period and seedling preservation rate of crops to a certain extent.
In the face of drought, the Jilin Meteorological Bureau has been looking for opportunities to increase rain artificially. On May 5, Jilin Province ushered in rainy weather, and the Jilin Meteorological Bureau immediately organized the province's rain increase force to carry out artificial rain enhancement operations.
Li Maolun, deputy director of the Jilin Provincial Weather Modification Office, said that the aerial rain enhancement operation used 2 aircraft, burned 3 flame strips, sowed 2 bottles of liquid carbon dioxide, and launched 200 flame bombs. On the ground, rockets were used to increase rain, and a total of 6 rockets were fired from 6 operating stations and 27 rockets.
Staff from the Jilin Meteorological Service Center instruct farmers in spring plowing in the field. Photo by Jia Chunhe
Li Maolun introduced that the coordinated artificial rain enhancement operation of open land has played a positive role in Jilin Province's agricultural drought resistance and spring sowing, taking whole seedlings, and alleviating the drought in the central and western regions. In the future, weather changes will be closely monitored and artificial rain enhancement operations will be carried out in a timely manner.
Jilin is one of the first provinces in China to carry out artificial rain enhancement operations, and it has not been interrupted for more than 60 years, and the technology of weather modification has entered the business track. Located in Changchun City, the Northeast Regional Weather Modification Center is the first regional weather modification center in China, directly serving agricultural production in Northeast China. (End)