How winter storms and other extreme weather are connected to climate change

People start clearing snow from streets and sidewalks
Residents of West St. Paul, Minn., start clearing wet, heavy snow on March 6. The overnight snow left a coating on trees and branches.
Andrew Krueger | MPR News

Parts of Minnesota are once again bracing for a winter storm watch starting on Thursday and it’s been a year of unusual and extreme winter weather. 

This winter is already the 8th snowiest winter on record in the Twin Cities and it’s only March. 

We’re not the only ones dealing with extreme weather — there’s been snow and flooding in California, blizzards in the Midwest and huge storms in the East. 

MPR News host Angela Davis talks with three experts about the impact of the changing climate, how it’s related to extreme weather and possible solutions. 

Guests:

  • Kenneth Blumenfeld is the senior climatologist at the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.  

  • Amudalat Ajasa is a weather and climate reporter for The Washington Post who covers extreme weather and its effects on communities.

  • Heidi Roop is the director of the Minnesota Climate Adaptation Partnership and an assistant professor of climate science at the University of Minnesota. She also serves as a the U of M’s extension specialist for climate science and adaptation.

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