Experimental 1940s technique aims to disperse trapped smoke and improve airport visibility.
Indonesia is turning to an old weather-modification technique for a new purpose as persistent wildfire haze continues disrupting aviation and daily life across the region.
South Sumatra Hosts First Trial
Indonesia plans to test dry-ice weather modification in South Sumatra, with the first trial expected on October 15, according to Tri Handoko Seto, deputy for weather modification at the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency. Aircraft will disperse dry-ice pellets above the province, initially targeting Palembang and an adjacent district, as authorities look for ways to reduce dense wildfire smoke.
Technology Targets Trapped Smoke
The technique is designed to disrupt atmospheric temperature inversions, which can trap cooler air and wildfire smoke close to the ground. BMKG weather modification official Budi Harsoyo said the rapid cooling caused by dry ice is expected, in theory, to disturb the inversion and allow accumulated pollution to disperse more effectively.
Method Differs From Conventional Cloud Seeding
Unlike conventional cloud seeding, the dry-ice approach does not require existing clouds and is not intended to generate rainfall. The method dates back to 1946, when American researcher Vincent Schaefer found that solid carbon dioxide could induce ice formation in clouds, although Indonesia is now adapting the technology for haze dispersion rather than primarily for rainmaking.
Airports Become Priority Areas
Rather than attempting to clear haze across entire provinces, authorities plan to focus the experimental technique on areas upwind of airports, where improved visibility could help water-bombing and conventional cloud-seeding aircraft resume operations. According to Indonesia’s Transport Ministry, wildfire haze had affected 1,813 domestic flights since August 11, 2026.
Effectiveness Remains Unproven
BMKG officials cautioned that the effectiveness of dry ice against tropical wildfire haze has not yet been established. More than 70 weather-modification operations had already been conducted in South Sumatra, according to the provincial government, but heavy smoke persisted. Dry weather was expected to continue across much of the region, while the fire-weather index remained very high across large parts of Indonesia.
For Indonesians, the experiment represents another attempt to reduce the immediate disruption caused by persistent forest and land-fire haze, particularly around critical transport infrastructure. For Singaporeans, the trial is also relevant because smoke from Indonesia has affected air quality across the region, making the success or limitations of new haze-control methods a cross-border concern.
Sources: Straits Times (2026) , Bloomberg (2026)
Keywords: Indonesia Haze 2026, Dry Ice Weather Modification, South Sumatra Haze, BMKG Cloud Seeding, Indonesia Forest Fires, Haze Technology
