Climate Change

Destructive tornadoes have hit states such as Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky and Indiana this season as activity shifts east. Meanwhile, scientists say dry and hot weather in the Great Plains brought on by climate change could be slowing the number of tornadoes there.

A Michigan State University researcher is testing which tree species can best withstand future climate conditions in Michigan. With a $500,000 grant from the state, the project is planting tens of thousands of trees across nine sites to study growth, survival and adaptability. The research could shape forest management for decades.

Michigan public health officials are urging people to exercise caution outdoors and avoid ticks, as lyme disease cases have nearly tripled in the last five years.

One of many institutes at risk is the Cooperative Institute for Great Lakes Research based at the University of Michigan. It's partly funded by NOAA to research invasive species, extreme weather, and toxic cyanobacterial blooms.

All six U.S. regional climate centers will remain online through a new contract deadline in mid-June. Four of the centers, which are overseen by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, were abruptly closed last week after their funding ran out.

Supporters of the EPA's work in Michigan and the U.S. to protect the environment urged Congress to rein in a plan to roll back multiple pollution regulations.

The closure of four of the six Regional Climate Centers across the U.S. occurred after funding from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration ran out. A recent report stated that the Trump administration plans to propose a 25% cut to NOAA's budget next fiscal year.

Lakes Michigan, Huron and Superior are all about eight inches lower than the historical average, according to February data from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

The state is investing nearly $200,000 to figure out how to make Michigan's maritime sector more sustainable.

Hotter days make heat exhaustion a greater hazard for kids. Hotter days also can mean more ozone pollution and that leads to lung impairments. Unusual weather events, particularly storms that cause flooding, add stress to children's lives.