Pollution from coal-burning power plants and other sources may prevent snow and rainfall in downwind areas, according to a new study published in the journal Science. Daniel Rosenfeld of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem studied satellite data and found that pollution particles cause water in clouds to spread out thinly, preventing it from forming into droplets big and heavy enough to fall as raindrops and snowflakes. Rosenfeld’s research, the first to provide direct evidence of pollution affecting rainfall, suggests that human activity may be altering clouds and natural precipitation on a global scale.
