Climate change will lead to more extreme rain, drought for Minnesota

Every Thursday, MPR Meteorologist Paul Huttner joins The Daily Circuit to talk about the latest research on our changing climate and the consequences we're seeing here in Minnesota and worldwide.

This week, Huttner and University of St. Thomas Engineering Professor John Abraham talked about the latest research on planetary waves and how they could be contributing to Minnesota's extreme rain events.

Huttner sums it up:

Abraham said these worldwide changes will mean more of the weather Americans currently experience. If you live in an area that's wet, expect wetter conditions. Dry regions will become drier and moderate weather regions will see rain and drought come in heavier outbursts.

For the United States, that means drier conditions in the southwest and western third of the country and wetter conditions in the eastern third. Minnesotans can expect to receive the same yearly rainfall amounts, but it will come in bursts in between droughts.