Up To Date

What The Kansas City Metro Could Be Facing From Climate Change

By Steve Kraske,

Published March 1, 2021 at 11:02 PM CST

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Joel Frey plods along MIll Creek Parkway on Monday afternoon during an afternoon run. He said, "I'd rather it be 90 (degrees), but I don't get to pick my weather." — Joel Frey ran along Mill Creek Parkway during Kansas City's recent polar vortex. He said, "I'd rather it be 90°, but I don't get to pick my weather."

Kansas City's recent cold snap is just one example of the extreme events the Midwest will continue seeing as a result of climate change.

That's because global warming isn't just about it getting hotter, it's causing more extreme weather events. The result is the country will continue experiencing hurricanes, floods, droughts and wildfires.

Dr. Fengpeng Sun, assistant professor in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences at the University of Missouri-Kansas City

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Steve Kraske

When I host Up To Date each morning at 9, my aim is to engage the community in conversations about the Kansas City area’s challenges, hopes and opportunities. I try to ask the questions that listeners want answered about the day’s most pressing issues and provide a place for residents to engage directly with newsmakers. Reach me at steve@kcur.org or on Twitter @stevekraske.

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Zach Wilson

As Up To Date’s senior producer, I want to pique the curiosity of Kansas Citians and help them understand the world around them. Each day, I construct conversations with our city’s most innovative visionaries and creatives, while striving to hold elected officials accountable and amplifying the voices of everyday Kansas Citians. Email me at zach@kcur.org.

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Mackenzie Martin

As senior podcast producer for KCUR Studios and a host of A People’s History of Kansas City, I interview everyday people and dig through old newspaper articles to unearth stories of the visionaries and renegades who created this region. I focus on bringing the past to life, so we can all better understand the city we live in today. Email me at mackenzie@kcur.org.

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