Climate Cast

00:05:23

Climate change is reshaping marathon season in Minnesota

Climate Cast ·

2026/09/29

Runners can expect seasonably cool temperatures for the 2026 Twin Cities Marathon. But the early October tradition will be moving back a week starting next year. Race officials have stated health concerns due to heat as a reason for the change. Between 1961 and 1990, October temperatures never touched 90 degrees in the Twin Cities. But, since 2010, there has been two instances of 90-degree temperatures in October. And now it’s twice as likely to hit temperatures over 80 degrees than 50

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00:05:09

How climate is changing the apples you buy

Climate Cast ·

2026/09/22

The University of Minnesota is recognized as one of the top apple breeding and genetics research programs in the country. It developed the Honeycrisp apple and other flavors like the Big Flirt and the SuperSnap. But a warming climate makes the university’s work more difficult.MPR News chief meteorologist Ben Cathey spoke with Matt Clark, the director of research at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, and Sarah Kostick, a member of the University of Minnesota Apple Breeding Program, about how

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00:05:20

Climate Cast: As ships sit in Strait of Hormuz,...

Climate Cast ·

2026/09/14

Invasive species play the long game. They travel well, dig in to survive wherever they’re dropped off and then start multiplying, making it nearly impossible to root them out.Scientists looking now at the current state of the Strait of Hormuz see a recipe for invasive species spread. Giant ships are stuck in the warm waters there amid the Iran War and they’re collecting critters in the ballast water and on their hulls.Those invasive creatures will end up in ports around the world once the

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00:05:21

When powerful windstorms become more common, wildlife...

Climate Cast ·

2026/08/10

Derechos are devastating, fast-moving bands of thunderstorms capable of producing destructive winds. Minnesota has experienced several, including the Boundary Waters blowdown in 1999. But research suggests derechos could become twice as common in a warming climate.MPR News chief meteorologist Ben Cathey spoke with members of the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Minnesota in Roseville about the impacts these storms can have on wildlife. He also spoke with Logan Bundy, a meteorologist at

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00:05:24

On softball night, Minnesota climate experts feel the...

Climate Cast ·

2026/07/31

If you’ve attended or played in a softball or baseball game this summer, you likely share something in common with a lot of Minnesotans. The intense heat, coupled with the high humidity, has led to delays and sweltering conditions for fans, players, and umpires alike. That comes at the end of July 2026, which will go down as the warmest month in American history. There are plenty of church leagues and beer leagues around the state, but one group that meets in the Midway neighborhood of St

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00:04:17

Learning from deadliest disaster in Minnesota history

Climate Cast ·

2026/07/10

What would you guess is the deadliest disaster in Minnesota history? A wildfire? Blizzard? Tornado? It was none of those. In 1936, a long-term heat wave killed at least 900 across Minnesota. Heat is America’s top weather killer, even in the age of air conditioning and community pools. For the return of the long-running Climate Cast, we wanted to revisit the terrible cost of the 1936 heat wave that hit 90 years ago this month. On July 14, 1936, experts estimated a person was dying every

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00:04:48

Paul Huttner signs off after 13 years of hosting...

Climate Cast ·

2026/05/01

For years, Climate Cast has been a place to make sense of a changing planet — explaining the science, the solutions and the people behind the issue.MPR News chief meteorologist Paul Huttner sat down with Tom Crann during the Minnesota Climate Adaptation Awards to reflect on Climate Cast’s roughly 650 episodes and its focus on climate science, news and solutions.“Climate change is a huge problem. We are seeing it every day,” Huttner said. “But there are so many good people working on

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00:04:48

How resilience hubs are giving climate aid before,...

Climate Cast ·

2026/04/17

With climate change exposing communities to more dangerous weather conditions and amplifying diseases, experts say more people need resources to adapt. The University of Minnesota Climate Adaptation Partnership is working on creating Climate Resilience Hubs to help give people community spaces that can give support both in everyday life and during emergencies.MPR News chief meteorologist Paul Huttner spoke with Dr. Kent Boyd, a Climate Adaptation, Resilience, and Public Health Extension

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00:04:26

How a Minnesota research team finds carbon a home in...

Climate Cast ·

2026/04/03

Burning fossil fuels is one of the primary drivers of climate change, releasing large amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, causing changes including increased temperatures and extreme weather events here in the Midwest. But recent research took advantage of a 40-year ongoing experiment at the University of Minnesota’s Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science Reserve to study how this carbon is being stored in retired croplands.MPR News chief meteorologist Paul Huttner spoke with Eric

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00:04:42

El Niño could affect Minnesota's weather this year

Climate Cast ·

2026/03/26

Warmer waters building in the tropical Pacific Ocean are suggesting an El Nino event developing late this year. Forecasts predict an event range from a moderate El Nino, to a so-called Super El Nino event, which could have dramatic effects on weather in Minnesota, the U.S. and the world.MPR News chief meteorologist Paul Huttner spoke with Andrew Freedman, a Senior Reporter for Climate & Weather at CNN, who has reported on the event.

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00:04:50

How cover crops are creating renewable jet fuel

Climate Cast ·

2026/03/20

The transportation sector is a large contributor to climate change, accounting for about 28 percent of total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. Within that sector, aviation accounts for around 2 percent of carbon dioxide global emissions, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Looking to reduce its carbon footprint, the aviation industry is seeking fuels from more renewable biological sources. At the University of Minnesota’s Forever Green Initiative, researchers are working to

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00:04:46

How a Minnesota startup is taking carbon out of the...

Climate Cast ·

2026/03/13

Fossil fuels are by far the largest contributor to global climate change, accounting for nearly 90 percent of all carbon dioxide emissions. But there are people here in Minnesota working on solutions for managing those emissions.MPR News chief meteorologist Paul Huttner spoke with Paul Dauenhauer, a Distinguished McKnight University Professor at the UM College of Science and Engineering, about the start-up company Carba, of which he is a cofounder.Through Carba, they have developed a

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00:10:25

What's the carbon 'hoofprint' of the American beef...

Climate Cast ·

2026/03/06

The United States is among the world’s largest beef producers, producing some 12 million tons in 2025. But cattle generate a lot of emissions. The beef industry alone is responsible for around 3 percent of total greenhouse gas emissions in the United States.MPR News chief meteorologist Paul Huttner spoke with Jennifer Schmitt, senior research scientist in sustainability at the University of Minnesota’s Institute on the Environment, about what’s currently being done to reduce emissions.Plus,

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00:04:34

The impact of climate change on Earth's polar regions

Climate Cast ·

2026/02/27

Minnesota Arctic explorer Will Steger has trekked across thousands of miles of ice in both the north and South Poles, crossing the Larsen Ice Shelves a few years before they disintegrated and collapsed into the sea. MPR News chief meteorologist Paul Huttner spoke with Steger about dramatic changes he’s seen in Arctic regions over the past several decades.

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00:04:52

What does ice on Lake Superior tell us about climate...

Climate Cast ·

2026/02/20

The last time Lake Superior completely froze over was 30 years ago in 1996. Around that time, Lake Superior was consistently at least 75 percent frozen over. Now, 75 percent coverage is rare, only happening about once every four years.Ice on the Great Lakes, and Lake Superior specifically, is a great way to measure climate for our region. MPR News chief meteorologist Paul Huttner spoke with UMD professor Jay Austin, about what ice coverage can tell us about climate change.Click play on the

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00:04:51

What’s new in Minnesota’s revised climate action plan

Climate Cast ·

2026/02/13

In 2022, The State of Minnesota created their Climate Action Framework, a plan that sets a vision for how Minnesota will address and prepare for climate change. As of February 11th, the framework has been updated. MPR News chief meteorologist Paul Huttner spoke with Heidi Roop, the Director of the University of Minnesota Climate Adaptation Partnership, which helped create the new framework, to talk about the new changes.

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00:04:58

Climate normals downplay just how fast Minnesota is...

Climate Cast ·

2026/02/05

NOAA data shows that winters have warmed more than five degrees on average since 1970. And last two years were some of the warmest on record, dating back to the late 1880s.But as the climate warms over decades, so do the 30-year averages for climate variables like temperature and precipitation. These new normals can mask the true magnitude of just how fast Minnesota is warming up.MPR News chief meteorologist Paul Huttner spoke with MPR News meteorologist Sven Sundgaard to explain how these

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00:04:48

What impact does the American prairie have on our...

Climate Cast ·

2026/01/30

Minnesota’s prairie, in the southwestern part of the state, is a biodiverse ecosystem that’s home to buffalo, bees and tall grass. In the book, "Sea of Grass: The Conquest, Ruin and Redemption of Nature on the American Prairie," Josephine Marcotty and Dave Hage dig into the significance prairies have to the climate. MPR News chief meteorologist Paul Huttner talks with Hage in depth about the American prairie. The following has been edited for length and clarity. Use the audio player above

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00:04:40

How a program trains residents to take action on climate

Climate Cast ·

2026/01/22

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.

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00:05:02

How warmer ocean temperatures cause stronger and...

Climate Cast ·

2026/01/16

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.

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