Rain/snow expected Saturday night
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Rain/snow expected Saturday night

Illinois Public Media News is monitoring rain and snow forecasted for Central Illinois on March 11-12. This post will be updated with information from the National Weather Service in Lincoln and Chambana Weather meteorologist Andrew Pritchard. Snow or a rain/snow mix is occurring in the red circled region, with minor accumulations expected (up to around an inch)….

All rain and no snow makes winter a dull season
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All rain and no snow makes winter a dull season

CHAMPAIGN – Ah, winter. When nature compensates for shortened days and frigid nights by enveloping the landscape in blankets of crystalline snow. When the soul is warmed by the kaleidoscopic magic of a snowflake caught on an upturned palm. When snowmen and snowball fights make children of us all. Yeah, not this year. This year,…

Storms bring snow to Central Illinois
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Storms bring snow to Central Illinois

Illinois Public Media News is monitoring storms forecasted for Champaign-Urbana and surrounding areas on March 3. This post will be updated with information from the National Weather Service in Lincoln and Chambana Weather meteorologist Andrew Pritchard. Conditions continue to deteriorate in areas where it's still snowing. And much of the state will see overnight lows below freezing, so…

Three tornadoes sighted in Champaign County Monday AM; Tornado Watch until 4pm
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Three tornadoes sighted in Champaign County Monday AM; Tornado Watch until 4pm

Illinois Public Media News is monitoring storms forecasted for Champaign-Urbana and surrounding areas on February 27. This post will be updated with information from the National Weather Service in Lincoln and Chambana Weather meteorologist Andrew Pritchard. Trying to wrap my head around what just happened. Observed a pair of tornadoes just outside the Champaign-Urbana, #ilwx…

Weather stations that provide critical climate data are threatened by unstable funding
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Weather stations that provide critical climate data are threatened by unstable funding

Accurate weather information is important for farmers, emergency responders and researchers managing extreme conditions. But many monitoring networks are limited by unstable, patchwork funding. VALPARAISO, Neb. — In fields and pastures across Midwestern and Great Plains states, unmanned weather stations quietly record data on temperature, precipitation, humidity, soil conditions, wind and other factors. It’s fed…

Tornado Watch now until 6pm for Central Illinois
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Tornado Watch now until 6pm for Central Illinois

The National Weather Service in Central Illinois has issued a Tornado Watch for Champaign, Coles, Douglas, Macon, Moultrie, Piatt, and Vermilion Counties until 6:00 p.m. CST. We will update this post with forecast updates. A tornado watch has been issued for parts of Illinois, Kentucky and Missouri until 6 PM CST pic.twitter.com/4C8urqvwwT — NWS Lincoln…

More bald eagles are nesting on the Illinois River. Here’s why that’s a good sign

More bald eagles are nesting on the Illinois River. Here’s why that’s a good sign

Mike Miller has had his eagle eyes trained on the Illinois River Valley for a long time, and he says there’s a lot more of the national bird to see around these parts than in years’ past. The Peoria Park District supervisor of environmental and interpretive services and Community Word contributor has participated in the annual winter…

A Piatt County zoning board votes against a wind farm, but the county board will have the final say.
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A Piatt County zoning board votes against a wind farm, but the county board will have the final say.

Both supporters and opponents were watching Thursday night, as the Piatt County Zoning Board of Appeals voted 5-0 against recommending a zoning permit for the Goose Creek wind turbine project proposed by Apex Clean Energy. The proposal now goes to the Piatt County Board, which does not have to follow the zoning board’s ruling.

How the rhetoric around gas stoves got so heated — and what it does (and doesn’t) mean for Illinois

How the rhetoric around gas stoves got so heated — and what it does (and doesn’t) mean for Illinois

NORMAL — A recent study that tied the use of gas stoves in homes to rates of childhood asthma — especially in Illinois — inadvertently brought gas stoves to the forefront of the culture wars, adding a new layer to ongoing public discourse on climate change, business interests, and public and environmental health concerns. Researchers…

The Supreme Court could end protections for some wetlands, threatening water and wildlife

The Supreme Court could end protections for some wetlands, threatening water and wildlife

The Environmental Protection Agency recently released new rules regarding the Waters of the United States that decide which bodies of water fall under federal protection. But a case the U.S. Supreme Court is expected to rule on soon throws those rules into question and could mean less protection for wetlands. https://cpa.ds.npr.org/s60/audio/2023/01/0126sackettf-hvst.mp3 Listen to this story…

Plans for a CO2 pipeline in Illinois are on hold
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Plans for a CO2 pipeline in Illinois are on hold

CHAMPAIGN – Plans for a carbon dioxide pipeline in Illinois have been temporarily halted. Navigator Heartland Greenway LLC has voluntarily withdrawn its Application for a Certificate of Authority to construct the pipeline that would cross through 13 Illinois counties. Navigator said it plans to refile a new application with the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) next…