# A different kind of Google Cloud: steam from data center fogs in local airport

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-different-kind-of-google-cloud-steam-from-data-center-fogs-in-local-airport/1029393>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [April 19, 2026, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-different-kind-of-google-cloud-steam-from-data-center-fogs-in-local-airport/1029393 "2026-04-19T13:46:56Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\
**Post date:** [April 19, 2026, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-different-kind-of-google-cloud-steam-from-data-center-fogs-in-local-airport/1029393/1 "2026-04-19T13:46:56Z")

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Google has a data center (several of them, actually) in The Dalles OR. The Dalles is a small city on the Columbia that has an airport across the river in Washington. Pilots there are complaining that the evaporative cooling from the data centers is causing low clouds to form that disrupt landing at that airport.

[https://www.oregonlive.com/silicon-forest/2026/04/google-cloud-steam-from-data-centers-may-be-disrupting-aviation-along-columbia-river.html](https://www.oregonlive.com/silicon-forest/2026/04/google-cloud-steam-from-data-centers-may-be-disrupting-aviation-along-columbia-river.html)

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**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\
**Post date:** [April 19, 2026, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-different-kind-of-google-cloud-steam-from-data-center-fogs-in-local-airport/1029393/2 "2026-04-19T14:46:20Z")

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Just another reason for communities to push back against data centers in their region.

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**Author:** ![dolphinboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dolphinboy/32/330_2.png) [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)\
**Post date:** [April 19, 2026, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-different-kind-of-google-cloud-steam-from-data-center-fogs-in-local-airport/1029393/3 "2026-04-19T14:46:41Z")

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Unintended consequences of AI. Who would have ever thought there would be?

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**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\
**Post date:** [April 20, 2026, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-different-kind-of-google-cloud-steam-from-data-center-fogs-in-local-airport/1029393/4 "2026-04-20T15:16:37Z")

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I betcha AI would have forseen that 🤔

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**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\
**Post date:** [April 20, 2026, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-different-kind-of-google-cloud-steam-from-data-center-fogs-in-local-airport/1029393/5 "2026-04-20T15:33:51Z")

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So, AI now controls the weather?

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**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\
**Post date:** [April 20, 2026, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-different-kind-of-google-cloud-steam-from-data-center-fogs-in-local-airport/1029393/6 "2026-04-20T16:06:51Z")

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> Jeff Renard, the airport’s manager, said, “I’ve been advised not to talk about it.” He declined to say who gave him that advice.
> 
> “I liken it to global warming,” Renard added. “There’s no scientific proof of anything yet.”

All righty then.