Climate Cast

How a program trains residents to take action on climate

The University of Minnesota’s Community Climate Leaders program connects students with actionable climate science, impact strategies, and a local network of peers. Christy Marsden, who oversees the program, joined Climate Cast to explain how community members can get involved in climate action.

How warmer ocean temperatures cause stronger and wetter storms, even in Minnesota

Earth’s oceans continued to reach record-high temperatures in 2025. And those hotter oceans are fueling stronger and wetter storms.St. Thomas University researcher John Abraham, who reported these findings with his colleagues in the journal “Advances in Atmospheric Sciences,” joined Climate Cast to talk about how the latest research on Earth’s warmer oceans affects the people of Minnesota.

Minnesota researchers drill for million-year-old ice in Antarctica

Beneath the harsh winds and temperature of Antarctica, scientists have identified ice cores that give new insights into Earth’s past.Martin Froger Silva works with the National Science Foundation Center for Oldest Ice Exploration. He and a team of researchers have been drilling in Antarctica for ice millions of years old. Silva talked to Climate Cast host Paul Huttner about their research.

How climate change is driving up the cost of home insurance

It’s not your imagination — the cost of your home insurance is going up. Weather-related extreme events have sent homeowners’ insurance rates skyrocketing. Federal budget cuts to the Federal Emergency Management Agency will exacerbate these issues, particularly affecting state budgets and risk reduction efforts. In Minnesota, homeowners insurance rates increased the last decade due to hail damage, leading to non-renewals and some companies leaving the market. Jordan Haedtler, a climate financial policy strategist with Climate Cabinet, based in Duluth, talks with MPR News Chief Meteorologist Paul Huttner about climate-change-fueled risks and steps the state Legislature is taking to address to address the issues.

AI tool may improve flood forecasting for Mississippi and other rivers

Climate change has amplified the hydrologic cycle in Minnesota. Our more erratic precipitation patterns are driving faster transitions from drought to floods. So, can AI-driven forecasts help predict floods on rivers like the Mississippi? “We need to make innovations in these sorts of models and in our flood forecasting in general,” said Zac McEachran, a research hydrologist from the University of Minnesota. McEachran talked with MPR News meteorologist Paul Huttner about a new flood forecasting model that uses AI to improve local flood predictions. Click play on the audio player above to listen to this episode or subscribe to the Climate Cast podcast.