Meet the Challenge of Heavier Spring Rains With Climate Series for Farmers

By Emily Steele

Weather trends are changing. Be prepared for how it can affect your farming operation with expert updates from University of Illinois and Purdue University. The bi-state climate webinar series brings together university experts and resources from Illinois Extension and Indiana Extension to highlight important climate topics for Midwestern agriculture and natural area professionals.

“We know that heavy spring rains, milder winter temperatures, and longer growing seasons are happening more often in the Midwest and are expected to continue,” says Duane Friend, University of Illinois Extension state master naturalist and climate specialist. “We’re working with climate scientists to share research updates on how these trends are affecting farms and our wild spaces.”

The first of four webinars in the 2024 Illinois-Indiana Climate Webinar series will be at 1 p.m. on March 28. “When It Rains, It Pours – Climate Change’s Impact on Precipitation” will explore changes in hydrology and climate due to human changes to the landscape and greenhouse gas emissions.

University of Illinois hydrometeorologist Francina Dominguez will lead a discussion on findings related to rainfall and other precipitation in the latest report from the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. The presentation will also include hydrology research updates focused on how climate variations impact extreme surface water movement and how those changes in turn affect climate. Dominguez is a professor in the department of climate, meteorology & atmospheric sciences and head of the Hydrometeorology Working Group at U of I.

Sign up by March 26 at go.illinois.edu/IIclimate. If you need an accommodation to participate, contact Duane Friend at friend@illinois.edu or (217) 243-7424. Early requests are strongly encouraged to allow sufficient time to meet access needs.