Severe Weather

Extreme heat, wildfire smoke and power outages are becoming more and more familiar parts of summer in Washtenaw County each year, and a growing network of local officials, health professionals and community organizers is working to help Ypsilanti residents do more than simply weather the next emergency. Lee Van Roth spoke about the actions being taken to protect residents with the director of the Interfaith Council for Peace and Justice, Desirae Simmons.

In response to numerous severe weather events over the years, the Washtenaw County Resiliency Office introduced a countywide Hazard Mitigation Plan, which would allow municipalities to secure necessary funding for disaster relief while also advancing local carbon neutrality goals. Resiliency Office Director Beth Gibbons joined Rebekah Warren to discuss the current state of the plan and its impact on the environment.

FEMA officials will be coming to Ann Arbor to evaluate reimbursement claims by locals impacted by severe weather events in April. Ana Longoria has the details.

Artists at the recent Ann Arbor Art Fair are reporting lower attendance and sales this year, due to the wildfire smoke that persisted throughout the event. WEMU’s Ana Longoria has the details.

The City of Ann Arbor is changing its approach to its stormwater management to address growing challenges and community needs. WEMU’s Ana Longoria reports.

Climate change has brought more unpredictable weather, and that has resulted in more severe storms and more flooding, more dams at risk and that, of course, puts property and lives in danger. Around here, we depend on the Huron River. The Digital Water Lab at the University of Michigan has set a network of real-time sensors to improve water monitoring, flood response and coordination among dam operators. WEMU's David Fair got a lesson in how that works in a conversation with U-M Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Branko Kerkez.

Due to the damage caused by April’s tornado, the Veterans Memorial Park Ice Arena will not open in time for next skating season. Other repairs are also taking place. WEMU’s Kevin Meerschaert reports.

Ann Arbor is well on the way to recovery after an EF-1 tornado tore through the area a week ago. WEMU’s Ana Longoria has the story.

Governor Gretchen Whitmer has declared a state of emergency for Ann Arbor, allowing the city to seek financial assistance to help cover emergency response costs and repair damaged public infrastructure. WEMU's Caroline MacGregor reports.

The City of Ann Arbor is sending out a team of damage assessors to document storm related impacts in the community following the recent tornado. WEMU's Caroline MacGregor reports.