Along a similar vein, conspiracy theories maligning Doppler weather radars as “weather weapons” have heightened in the wake of flash floods in central Texas. Forecasters use the radar system to detect precipitation, and now have to worry about vigilantes vandalizing them at times when people rely on those forecasts to stay safe.

Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller dismissed conspiracy theories linking his agency to cloud seeding, saying it hasn't been involved in weather modification since 2011.

Augustus Doricko knew when he founded a cloud-seeding startup in 2023 that he’d have to contend with misunderstandings and conspiracy theories surrounding the technology. Still, he wasn’t quite