Minnesota climate projections from UMN detail winter warming, extreme precipitation, and lake temperature trends

Updated climate projections from the University of Minnesota Climate Adaptation Partnership offer significant improvements in future temperature and precipitation information for Minnesota communities, including details on lake ice and lake temperatures for the coming decades.

These projections, published in February in the journal Water Resources Research, use a sophisticated regional climate model to analyze urban heat islands, inland lake temperatures, snow depth, soil moisture and other variables with major implications for human and ecological health.

“With this updated model, we include a detailed analysis of future snowfall for the first time,” said Stefan Liess, climate scientist with the Climate Adaptation Partnership. “This and other variables were directly informed by the needs of farmers, businesses, emergency managers and others across the state who are looking to prepare for future weather and climate risks.”

The projections —  the only future climate information available to Minnesota communities at a 2.5 square miles scale — are available free-of-charge through the Climate Adaptation Partnership’s online climate mapping tool, MN CliMAT.

“We actively partner with end users on these projections and provide technical assistance, tailored education, and Extension programs to help Minnesotans prepare for the years ahead,” said Climate Adaptation Partnership Director Heidi Roop. “We encourage individuals, communities and businesses interested in learning how to make climate-informed decisions to connect with us.”

The University of Minnesota Climate Adaptation Partnership offers critical resources and training to help communities respond to changing climate conditions and prepare for the years to come. Affiliated with both University of Minnesota Extension and the College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences, the Climate Adaptation Partnership performs foundational climate research while also offering hands-on support to individuals and organizations across a range of backgrounds and industries in Minnesota, the Midwest region and beyond.