The Rural Partnerships Institute (RPI), in partnership with the Wisconsin State Climatology Office (SCO) and Wisconet at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, hosted an Extreme Weather and Climate Services Roadshow on Dec. 2nd in Newbold, Wisconsin. The event is part of an RPI project focused on improving extreme weather preparedness capacity in rural communities through education, engagement, and research. Approximately 40 people attended, representing local residents, Tribal representatives, local government officials, non-profit organizations, and others.

The Roadshow featured breakout questions where participants could share their perspectives and experiences on extreme weather in Northern Wisconsin. They discussed the impact of weather and climate on their life and work, the extreme weather events that have had the greatest impact on their community, where they go to for weather and climate information, and what weather and climate information they wish was more readily available. Breakout discussions were praised by participants as the most valuable component of the event, providing an opportunity for interactive learning and hearing diverse local perspectives. 

RPI, the SCO, and Wisconet are hosting additional Extreme Weather and Climate Services Roadshows across the state to better understand the needs in different regions of Wisconsin. These future events will follow the successful Northern Wisconsin model to gather region-specific insights, share resources, educate, and build local capacity for climate hazard planning across the state. If you would like to bring a Roadshow to your community, contact Jackson Parr, Climate Hazards Planning Educator at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension, at jgparr@wisc.edu.

Read the full Northern Roadshow summary here.