Weather Modification and the Western Kansas Weather Modification Program has been actively working to protect cropland in eight Kansas counties by trying to either reduce the size of hail or, in other cases, trying to increase the probability of rain. The group also works on lightning prevention and fog/cloud dispersal.

This technology is often referred to as cloud seeding. It's not an unnatural process, said 49 Chief Meteorologist Matt Miller. It's something that happens naturally in the atmosphere when two layers of clouds align and droplets from the higher cloud feed the lower cloud.

"But if you don't have that layer of clouds up overhead, then the other way to get cloud seeding is to go through an artificial process, like injecting the cloud from either above or below through planes dropping little silver iodide particles in there to enhance the rain," Miller said.

Now, artificial means of cloud seeding -- first developed in the U.S. -- is now going international as China is gearing up for the Beijing Olympics.

China's goal is to clear the skies to ensure great weather for the Opening Ceremony at the Bird's Nest in Beijing. Statistics say there is a 41 percent chance of rain in Beijing on August 8.

China is hoping to beat those odds with a little help from silver iodide particles injected into the clouds.

Keep an eye on the Opening Ceremonies to see if the atmosphere is able to be modified that way.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.