The Weather is Tamed: On-Demand Weather Modification, Fact or Fiction?

Robert L. “Bob” Russell spoke with AMS Executive Director Emeritus Keith Seitter about Russell’s book, Thor’s Apprentice, on the new AMS Author Webinar Series. Thor’s Apprentice is his thought-provoking fictional story of the potential good and evil of on-demand weather modification.

Born and raised in Missouri, Russell earned an A.A. degree in math and a B.S. in atmospheric science from the University of Missouri. He spent 27 years as a weather officer in the U.S. Air Force, earning three masters’ degrees along the way. Some of his highlights include assignments as weather officer on the Joint Staff, Headquarters Air Force, Air Force Special Operations Command, Joint Special Operations Command, and Air Weather Service; chairing the NATO Committee on Meteorology; and commanding the 10th Combat Weather Squadron. He retired after serving as the Air Force Weather Agency (AFWA) commander.

After retiring from the U.S. Air Force, Russell worked for a defense contractor and then moved to California, where he presently resides and works for the County of Humboldt as the deputy director of the Planning and Building Department. 

Thor’s Apprentice follows Professor Mcleod as he struggles with bringing forward what could be the most powerful weapon ever fielded or the greatest tool for social and economic equality ever seen. Russell has been intrigued by his personal experience with weather modification since his first air force assignment in the late 1980s, where he operated a cold fog dispersion system.

“Why should we believe weather modification successes such as fog dispersion, cloud seeding, and artificial snow at ski resorts are, or should be the limit of such efforts?” Russell asks. “Is the assumption that more advanced weather modification technologies don’t already exist a good one?” These are some of the questions that inspired the modern-day action–adventure that is Thor’s Apprentice. This is a story about a weather frontier yet to be conquered, with a meteorologist as main character, written by a career meteorologist inspired by decades of experience applying weather to operations. 

To hear more from Russell, his book, and his experiences, watch the webinar at https://amsweatherband.org/index.cfm/weatherband/webinars/.

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