According to data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the intensity of hourly rainfall has increased in U.S. cities since 1970, with the Great Lakes region being among the most affected areas.

Great Lakes Now spoke with Stephen Shaw, a professor at the State University of New York’s College of Environmental Science and Forestry.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Although wildfires are commonly associated with the West, the Great Lakes region has seen its share of destructive blazes. Lee Frelich, director of the University of Minnesota Center for Forest Ecology, warns that we will likely see more wildfires due to heat waves and droughts caused by climate change.

Vern Northrup is a former fireman and is a member of the Fond du Lac Band of Ojibwe.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Great Lakes Moment is a monthly column written by Great Lakes Now Contributor John Hartig. Publishing the author’s views and assertions does not represent endorsement by Great Lakes Now or Detroit PBS.

There is always room to improve program effectiveness and efficiency in government, as well as business, nongovernmental organizations and other institutions.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

By Danielle Kaeding, Wisconsin Public Radio

This article was republished here with permission from Wisconsin Public Radio.

Wisconsin saw a record number of fires in January and February this year due to a lack of snow as climate change has set the stage for more wildfires.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

By Juanpablo Ramirez-Franco, WBEZ

This coverage is made possible through a partnership between WBEZ and Grist, a nonprofit, independent media organization dedicated to telling stories of climate solutions and a just future. Sign up for WBEZ newsletters to get local news you can trust.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

This article was republished here with permission from Great Lakes Echo.

By Clara Lincolnhol, Great Lakes Echo

This year’s winter has been a breath of fresh air for ice fishing enthusiasts and businesses around Lake Erie.

“There were over 300 huts out on the ice on Presque Isle Bay one weekend in January,” said Jerry Skyrpzak, president of the S.O.N.S.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

By Juanpablo Ramirez-Franco, WBEZ

This coverage is made possible through a partnership between WBEZ and Grist, a nonprofit, independent media organization dedicated to telling stories of climate solutions and a just future. Sign up for WBEZ newsletters to get local news you can trust.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

By Jill Hopke, DePaul University

 is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.

The decision by Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, to end its fact-checking program and otherwise reduce content moderation raises the question of what content on those social media platforms will look like going forward.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

By Danielle Kaeding, Wisconsin Public Radio

This article was republished here with permission from Wisconsin Public Radio.

A new study builds on previous research that shows winters on the Great Lakes are growing shorter due to climate change.

The Great Lakes have been losing an average of 14 days of winter conditions each decade since 1995 due to warming air temperatures, according to the study published in the peer-reviewed journal Environmental Research Letters.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

This article was republished here with permission from Great Lakes Echo.

By Clara Lincolnhol, Great Lakes Echo

Ohio took a beating from a record-breaking 73 tornadoes in 2024. Twisters and other severe weather events are becoming more common in the Midwest due to climate change, and seniors are more at risk.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.