OKAY, WE HAVE A TORNADO ON THE GROUND RIGHT NOW JUST LIKE A TRAIN CAME THROUGH. LIVING WITH THE INTENSE POWER AND IMPACTS OF OUR WEATHER. THIS YEAR, IT SEEMS MOTHER NATURE RAISED THE BAR. WE'RE SEEING WINDS AS HIGH AS 130 MILES AN HOUR, THREE AFTER STREET DESTRUCTION AFTER DESTRUCTION, CATASTROPHIC STORMS. I NEVER SEE SOMETHING LIKE THIS IN MY LIFE RAGING WILDFIRES THAT'S GETTING CLOSER AND CLOSER TO OUR HOUSE. HISTORIC FLOODING, JUST HEARTBREAKING AND UNRELENTING DROUGHT. THE SOIL HAS NO MOISTURE RUNNING AS MUCH AS TWO FEET BELOW AVERAGE ON RAINFALL. CLIMATE IS CHANGING FASTER THAN WHAT'S CHANGING BEFORE, ALL COMBINING TO CREATE NEW CONCERNS. CLIMATE CHANGE IS A DIRECT THREAT TO NATIONAL SECURITY. MOTHER NATURE IS NOT PULLING ANY PUNCHES. WE ARE APPROACHING A REAL, REAL EMERGENCY, BUT COMMUNITIES ARE RESPONDING. LET'S GO FIGHTING AND INNOVATING TO RESHAPE THE FUTURE. WE'RE NOT CHANGING THE ENVIRONMENT. WE'RE JUST MAKING IT A LITTLE BIT MORE EFFICIENT. WE HAVE TO SHIFT HOW WE USE OUR RESOURCES. THE COMMUNITY SAID, DO SOMETHING, DO SOMETHING BIG, DON'T DO NOTHING. DEFINITELY DON'T DO NOTHING. NOW A SPECIAL PRESENTATION FORECASTING OUR FUTURE. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US. I'M JERE GISH AND I'M LORI BURKHOLDER TO OUR METEOROLOGISTS, AN ENTIRE TEAM HERE AT WGAL NEWS 8. I'VE BEEN WORKING ALL YEAR TO GIVE YOU A BETTER UNDERSTAND OF THE IMPACT OF OUR LOCAL WEATHER. WEATHER INFLUENCES, WHAT WE DO AND HOW WE DO IT EVERY DAY. THAT'S WHY WE LAUNCHED FORECASTING OUR FUTURE IN JANUARY, AN EFFORT TO DIG DEEPER INTO TRENDS AND STORMS TO HELP YOU PREPARE FOR WHATEVER COMES YOUR WAY. AND I THINK IT'S SAFE TO SAY THAT THIS YEAR HAS BEEN ONE OF EXTREME TIMES. THE SPAN OF JUNE TO SEPTEMBER, OUR SUMMER MONTHS. HOTTEST FOUR MONTH PERIOD EVER IN THE UNITED STATES. THE DROUGHT THAT'S GRIPPING THE NATION REACHED LEVELS NOT SEEN SINCE THE US DROUGHT MONITOR BEGAN. MORE THAN 20 YEARS AGO. AND SEVERE DROUGHT WAS MORE WIDESPREAD THAN EVER BEFORE. AND AT THE SAME TIME, A RARE RAINFALL EVENT TRIGGERED DEVASTATING FLASH FLOODING IN KENTUCKY AND MISSOURI. EXPERTS CALLING IT A ONE IN 1000 YEAR OCCURRENCE. THIS HOUR, WE'LL SHOW YOU NEW RESEARCH, NEW EFFORTS TO REDUCE WEATHER IMPACT. AND LOOK AT THIS YEAR'S BIG WEATHER STORY. AND CHIEF NEUROLOGIST ANDY FITZGIBBON FROM WCBE IN BOSTON GETS US STARTED. YOU CAN SEE SOME ROTATION AROUND THE MAIN TORNADO. YOU CAN SEE BEHIND ME THIS ROOF IS CRUSHED. THIS LOOKS LIKE A GRAVEYARD FOR BOATS. DESTRUCTIVE HURRICANE SCENES AND LIFE CHANGING TORNADO. THERE'S THE VORTEX RIGHT THERE. LOOK AT THAT TREE BENDING. IT PICKED UP AND TOSSED THIS RV. RELENTLESS STORMS AND BITTER WINTER WEATHER. BLIZZARD CONDITIONS HERE IN WELLS MADE THE SNOW IS FALLING, PELTING YOU IN THE FACE. HEAT SOARING TO RECORD HIGHS. THE HEAT EMERGENCY IN THE CITY IS GETTING EXTENDED. WILDFIRES OUT OF CONTROL. ALL THAT SMOKE COMING FROM ACTIVE FIRE BURNING VERY CLOSE HERE. AND HISTORIC FLOODING SCARRING THE LANDSCAPE. THE PICTURES AND VIDEOS OF THE DEVASTATING OCEAN DON'T DO JUSTICE. SNAPSHOT OF EXTREME WEATHER IMPACTING ALL OF US THIS YEAR. ONE WEATHER EVENT WILL GO DOWN AS THE MOST DAMAGING OF 2022. WINDS NOW 150 MILES AN HOUR DOWN FROM THE 155. THE EARLY IMAGES OUT OF SOUTHWEST FLORIDA BECAUSE OF HURRICANE IAN ARE HARD TO SWALLOW. HURRICANE IAN STRIKING FLORIDA. SEPTEMBER 28. A FORCEFUL KATTEGAT THREE FOUR STORM DECIMATING THE WEST COAST NEAR FORT MYERS BEACH AND NAPLES. I'VE LIVED 20 YEARS UP IN THE AIR. IT'S MY FIFTH HURRICANE. THIS IS THE WORST ONE I'VE EVER BEEN. STORM SURGE RIPPED OUT ROADS AND BRIDGES, CUTTING OFF COASTAL ISLANDS. YES, THIS AREA HAS EVEN HAD ANY HELP IN CENTRAL FLORIDA AND DUMPED IN EXCESS OF 20 INCHES OF RAIN IN JUST A MATTER OF HOURS. THE RELENTLESS RAIN PUSHED THE SAINT JOHN'S RIVER INTO THESE HOMES AND THIS FIFTH STRONGEST HURRICANE TO EVER MAKE A LANDFALL IN THE U.S. IS CARVING A NEW FLORIDA COASTLINE. WE JUST WANT TO TAKE YOU DOWN TO THE SURFACE. LOOK AT THIS HOUSE LOST HIS PORCH, SEAWALL WIPED OUT. THIS IS GOING TO BE A MASSIVE RECOVERY EFFORT HERE. WAIT, WAIT. I SEE A TORNADO. THERE IT IS. THIS LOOKS LIKE IT'S AT ARAB ARAB LOUISIANA, MARCH 22ND, WDSU, YOU IS ON THE AIR. THEIR CAMERAS CAPTURE THE START OF A RECORD. EFC, THREE TORNADO TORNADO ON THE GROUND MOVING NORTHEAST. THE NEAR 160 MILE PER HOUR WINDS TEAR UP AN 11 MILE PATH IN JUST 17 MINUTES. THE DAMAGE OUT HERE IN ARABY IS INCREDIBLE AND MASSIVE. YOU CAN SEE A CAR FLIPPED ON ITS SIDE. IT'S MORE THAN I CAN TALK ABOUT, BUT REALLY JUST BECOMING HYSTERICAL. THIS TORNADO, THIS STRONGEST EVER FOR THE NEW ORLEANS AREA. THIS IS GOING TO HIT SEMINOLE PRETTY MUCH HEAD ON. OH, MY GOSH. LOOK AT THAT, GUYS. ONE TORNADO AFTER ANOTHER STRUCK SEMINOLE COUNTY, OKLAHOMA, IN A SINGLE DAY DURING THE PEAK OF TORNADO SEASON IN MAY. THIS IS A BAD SITUATION FOR SEMINOLE OKLAHOMA'S TORNADO SEASON. SLIGHTLY BELOW AVERAGE THIS YEAR, BUT OVER TIME, THE TORNADO TREND IS CHANGING. LONGER STRETCHES OF QUIET WEATHER, BUT THE ACTIVE DAYS ARE MORE ACTIVE THAN EVER. NOW, THE LARGE TORNADO ON THE GROUND, A MARCH 5TH EF FOUR TORNADO IN IOWA, WAS THE STRONGEST EVER RECORDED SO FAR NORTH. SO EARLY IN THE YEAR. AND IN SPRINGDALE, ARKANSAS, A DIRECT HIT. THIS WHOLE ROW OF HOUSES BEHIND ME WAS SEVERELY DAMAGED. THERE'S A CHAIR RIGHT THERE THAT HELD THE TREE UP. AND THAT'S WHAT SAVED MY LIFE. AND THIS WAS THE STRONGEST TORNADO OF THE YEAR, APRIL 5TH IN BRYAN COUNTY, GEORGIA. AND THE REASON AS YOU CAN SEE BEHIND ME, TREES ARE SNAPPED IN HALF. WINDOWS BROKEN. AN UNUSUAL EF FOUR TORNADO WITH WINDS ESTIMATED AT 185 MILES AN HOUR. THERE USED TO BE A CABIN. THERE WAS ANOTHER HOUSE JUST BEYOND HERE THAT WAS CARRIED AWAY. FLASH FLOODING JUST AS POWERFUL AS ANY TORNADO OR HURRICANE. TAKE A LOOK AT THE CAT. A STRATEGIC DAMAGE IN EASTERN KENTUCKY IN LATE JULY. THE HOUSE THERE JUST PICKED UP AND JUST TURNED SIDEWAYS AND JUST FLOATED INTO THE TREES AND JUST DEMOLISHED. 6 TO 10 INCHES OF RAIN. YOU SAY TO YOURSELF, THAT'S A LOT OF RAINFALL AND IT IS A LOT OF RAIN. BUT THIS CAME OVER A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME, UPWARDS OF 16 INCHES OF RAIN OVER FIVE DAYS, SOMETHING THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CALLS HISTORICALLY UNHEARD OF. AND IN JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI, THE RISING WATER WASN'T AS RAPID, BUT IT WAS JUST AS DAMAGING. THE PEARL RIVER PREDICTED TO CREST LESS THAN AN HOUR AT 35 AND A HALF FEET, FLOODING STREETS AND ENDANGERING HUNDREDS OF HOMES. INTENSE AUGUST RAIN PUSHED A MAJOR RESERVOIR NEAR ITS LIMIT, SO OVERFLOW WAS SENT INTO THE PEARL RIVER, WHICH THEN SPILLED INTO NEIGHBORHOODS. A LOT OF FLOODING ALL THE WAY UP ALMOST OVER MAILBOXES. WE GOT EVERYBODY OUT. AND THAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT THING. THE FLOODING EXPOSED THE NATION TO YEARS OF TROUBLE WITH JACKSON'S NEGLECTED, MALFUNCTIONING WATER PLANT. THE INFLUX OF WATER PUTTING IT ENTIRELY OFFLINE FOR WEEKS AND IGNITING A CRISIS AS 150,000 RESIDENTS STRUGGLED TO GET DRINKING WATER. AND IN THE NORTHEAST, A RELATIVELY SLOW START TO WINTER ACCELERATED BY THE END OF JANUARY. WE'RE SEEING WHITEOUT CONDITIONS AND THOSE WINDS OVER 50 MILES PER HOUR. AT TIMES IT IS TREACHEROUS OUT HERE RIGHT NOW. A STINGING BLIZZARD DELIVERED MASS OF SURGE ALONG THE NEW ENGLAND COAST. WE'RE MEASURING ABOUT A FOOT AND A HALF OF SNOW AT THIS POINT AND DUMPED NEAR RECORD PILES OF SNOW ACROSS THE REGION. EVEN SOUTH CAROLINA WAS STUCK WITH SOME UNUSUAL SNOWFALL. THIS JANUARY STORM BROKE IN NEARLY 60 YEAR RECORD IN THE GREENVILLE AREA, PILING UP MORE THAN A HALF A FOOT IN A SINGLE DAY. EVENTUALLY, WINTER COLD GAVE WAY TO SUMMER HEAT. THE COUNTRY'S THIRD WARMEST SUMMER ON RECORD. TODAY WAS THE SEVENTH STRAIGHT DAY OF 90 DEGREE WEATHER. IT'S BEEN LIKE DESERT HOT HEAT WAVES ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY. SOMETIMES IN THE TRIPLE DIGITS. SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA, SPENT 44 DAYS AT 100 OR ABOVE WITH A RECORD SETTING, 116 DEGREE DAY IN SEPTEMBER. THESE ARE LIVE PICTURES AS THE BIG TANKER DROPPING RETARDANT RIGHT ON THE RIDGE OF THAT CANYON HEATS. AND EXTREME DRYNESS ADDING TO THE INTENSITY OF WILDFIRES. CALIFORNIA'S MOSQUITO FIRE RAGED FOR 50 DAYS, SCORCHING NEARLY 80,000 ACRES OF LAND AND CHERISHED PROPERTY. YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO HEAR THE BOOMING NOISES. IT SOUNDS LIKE PROPANE TANKS GOING OFF. THE SHERIFF CAME AND PICKED US UP AND HE HAD TO DRIVE THROUGH FIRE TO GET US OUT. EXPERTS SAY SHIFTING CLIMATE AND WEATHER PATTERNS ARE EXPANDING. THE LENGTH OF THE ACTIVE FIRE SEASON. WELL, WE GET A LITTLE YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST IT'S VERY SCARY. CALIFORNIA HAD ABOUT 7500 WILDFIRES THIS YEAR. THAT'S ACTUALLY A LITTLE LESS THAN AVERAGE. OFFICIALS SAY BILLIONS OF DOLLARS SPENT RECENTLY ON FOREST MANAGEMENT MAY HAVE HELPED KEEP THAT NUMBER LOWER BETWEEN WILDFIRES AND OTHER DAMAGING WEATHER IN 2022. GOVERNMENT AGENCIES ESTIMATE DISASTER COSTS COULD EXCEED $100 BILLION. AND ONE WEATHER EVENT THIS YEAR TOUCHED EVERY CORNER OF THE UNITED STATES. WHEN IT'S THIS DRY, IT'S HARD TO PRODUCE ANYTHING. I'M NOT REALLY SURE WHAT WE CAN DO BECAUSE IF WE HAVE MORE OF THIS, IT'S IT'S GOING TO BE A REAL PROBLEM FROM CORNFIELDS TO DRINKING WATER AND THE SHIFTING ECONOMY, THE WAYS A MASSIVE DROUGHT IS AFFECTING OUR LIVES. PLUS, MOST INNOVATIVE CLIMATE PROJECTS IN AMERICA, INCLUDING CONSTRUCTION OF RESILIENCY. PARKS LIKE THIS ONE TO HELP DEFEND AGAINST THE NEXT SUPERSTORM. AND HIGH TECH WEATHER, DRONES SAILING THE OCEAN. THE CRITICAL DATA THEY'RE COLLECTING ON HURRICANES THAT MAY HELP PREDICT THE LEVEL OF DAMAGE LONG BEFORE STORMS HIT. THE WORST, MOST DEVASTATING THE WORST, MOST DEVASTATING STORM DAMAGE TYPICALLY COMES FROM HURRICANES. AND DATA SHOWS THOSE STORMS ARE BECOMING MORE SEVERE AND MORE COSTLY FOR PERSONAL PROPERTY ALONE. HURRICANE IAN IN OCTOBER IS ESTIMATED TO HAVE CAUSED. $67 BILLION IN LOSSES IN THE U.S. IAN IS ONE OF 59 HURRICANES SINCE 1980 TO HAVE EXCEEDED $1,000,000,000 IN DAMAGES. SO WHAT IF WE COULD BETTER PREDICT HURRICANES AND THE POTENTIAL DISASTER THEY BRING? WELL, WGAL NEWS 8 CHIEF METEOROLOGIST JOE CALHOUN LOOKS AT THE CUTTING EDGE RESEARCH THAT MIGHT MAKE A POSSIBLE. SCIENTISTS HAVE BEEN STUDYING HURRICANES FOR DECADES, BUT THAT DATA HAS COME FROM MEASUREMENTS HIGHER UP IN THE ATMOSPHERE. WE TRAVELED TO SAINT PETERSBURG, FLORIDA, TO SEE HOW NEW RESEARCH IS LITERALLY GETTING TO THE BOTTOM OF TROPICAL SYSTEMS. OUR COMPUTER MODELS ARE SENSITIVE TO DATA. THE BETTER DATA COMING IN. THE BETTER INFORMATION COMING OUT. BUT 70% OF THE WORLD IS COVERED BY OCEAN. SO WHERE DO YOU GET THE DATA OVER THE OCEAN. THAT'S WHERE THESE COME IN. SAIL DRONES. A SAIL DRONE IS AN UNCREWED SURFACE VEHICLE THAT SAILS THE OCEAN FOR MONTHS AT A TIME, PROVIDING WEATHER AND OTHER DATA TO SCIENTISTS. IT'S A COMPLETELY RENEWABLE POWERED VEHICLE, SO IT HARNESSES WIND FOR PROPULSION, HARNESSES SOLAR FOR POWER THAT POWERS ALL THE ONBOARD SENSORS AND PAYLOADS. SO THAT'S A SUITE OF OCEANOGRAPHIC SENSORS AND A SUITE OF BIOLOGICAL VARIABLES. WE WENT ALONG FOR THE LAUNCH OF THE SEVEN SAIL DRONE IN THIS YEAR'S HURRICANE MISSION. THIS VIDEO IS FROM A SAIL DRONE IN THE EYE OF HURRICANE SAM. LAST YEAR AND SOME OF THE DATA IT SENT BACK, THE DATA THAT WE'RE OBTAINING FROM SAIL DRONE IS ACTUALLY IN A PARTICULAR PART OF THE ATMOSPHERE. THE VERY LOWEST LEVEL CLOSEST TO THE OCEAN. THAT HAS A REAL CRITICAL ROLE. AND TRANSFERRING THE ENERGY OF THE OCEAN INTO THE STORM. MASSIVE STORM SURGE IS OFTEN THE MOST DESTRUCTIVE PART OF A HURRICANE, BUT IT'S THE MOST DIFFICULT TO PREDICT. IT TURNS OUT THAT HURRICANE WINDS AREN'T THE ONLY THING THAT INFLUENCE THE SURGE. HURRICANE IAN WAS NEARLY A CATEGORY FIVE HURRICANE, BUT THE STORM SURGE WAS ROUGHLY 15 FEET ALONG THE FLORIDA COAST IN OCTOBER. BUT HURRICANE KATRINA, A CAT THREE, HAD A 28 FOOT SURGE AS IT HIT LOUISIANA. NOAH PROVIDED THIS MAP SHOWING THE ESTIMATED IMPACT OF A 23 FOOT SURGE IN THE GULF AND EAST COAST COASTAL COMMUNITIES. IT COULD INUNDATE 67% OF INTERSTATES, ALMOST HALF OF ALL RAILROAD TRACKS. 29 AIRPORTS AND VIRTUALLY ALL PORTS IN THE GULF COAST AREA. THE TOPOGRAPHY OF THE OCEAN BOTTOM IS A IS A BOUNDARY CONDITION FOR THE MODELS THAT ARE DOING STORM SURGE, BECAUSE ESSENTIALLY, IF THERE'S ANY TYPE OF CHANGE IN THE SLOPE OR IF THERE ARE FEATURES ON THE BOTTOM, THE OCEAN IS THAT STORM COMES ASHORE AND PUSHES THE WATER. THOSE FEATURES WHERE THAT SLOPE COULD REALLY CHANGE HOW THE WATER MOVES. BUT ONLY 35% OF THE UNITED STATES MORE THAN 95,000 MILES OF COASTAL WATERS, HAVE BEEN MAP WITH MODERN METHODS. SO TRADITIONAL SURVEYS ARE DONE WITH A TYPICAL SHIP THAT GOES OUT AND HAS A LOT OF PEOPLE ON BOARD, HAS A LOT OF DIESEL FUEL THAT IT'S BURNING WITH A SAIL DRONE. YOU DON'T HAVE THE PEOPLE YOU'RE USING THE WIND FOR PROPULSION. AND REALLY THAT MAKES US VERY ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY AND GIVES US A VERY LONG ENDURANCE TO STAY OUT AND REACH THE FARTHEST PARTS OF THE OCEAN. AND THAT ALLOWS US TO MAP DOWN TO OVER 7000 METERS DEEP. SO OVER 23,000 FEET BENEATH THE SURFACE. AND THE WAY THAT WORKS SO FAR IN GENERAL IS SOUND INTO THE OCEAN. THE SOUND TRAVELS. IT HITS THE BOTTOM OF THE OCEAN. AND THEN IT COMES BACK AND WE RECEIVE IT IN THAT TIME DIFFERENCE BY TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THIS THE SPEED OF SOUND AND WATER THAT ALLOWS US TO DETERMINE THE DEPTH OF THE WATER UNDERNEATH THE SAIL. ACCURATE OCEAN MAPPING CAN HELP IN NAVIGATION AND MANAGING NATIONAL RESOURCES. BUT THERE ARE HOPES THAT IT COULD HELP SAVE LIVES WITH BETTER STORM SURGE FORECAST. AMELIA I'LL JUST JOE CALHOUN FOR FORECASTING OUR FUTURE EXTREME WEATHER NOW CONSIDERED A THREAT TO OUR NATIONAL SECURITY. MOTHER NATURE HAS DONE MORE DIRECT DAMAGE TO US BASES THAN ANY FOREIGN ENEMY IN RECENT YEARS. HEAR ABOUT THE CLIMATE TROUBLE FACING OUR MILITARY RIGHT HERE AT HOME AND HOW THE GOVERNMENT IS RESPONDING. AND LATER, WE'RE REVEALING THE MOST INNOVATIVE PROJECTS IN AMERICA, INCLUDING THE GREEN JOBS AVAILABLE. NOW. THE NATIONAL INVESTIGATIVE UNIT FORECAST OUR FUTURE INVESTIGATION CONTINUES COMING UP. AND YOU CAN WATCH SOME OF OUR FORECASTING, OUR FUTURE AND WEATHER COVERAGE ON OUR VERY LOCAL STREAMING APP, GET UPDATED WEATHER FORECASTS, ANY TIME. AND OUR LATEST LOCAL NEWS CAST AS WELL. VERY LOCAL IS FREE TO DOWNLOAD AND AVAILABLE FOR ROKU, AMAZON FIRE, APPLE TV AND MOBILE DEVICES. YOU'LL ALSO FIND OUR ORIGINAL PROGRAMING, INCLUDING SHOWS FOR FOOD LOVERS, TRUE CRIME AND MORE. WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THREATS TO WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THREATS TO OUR NATIONAL SECURITY, THE WEATHER IS PROBABLY NOT TOP OF MIND. BUT THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE SAYS THE CHANGING CLIMATE IS ONE OF THE GREATEST SECURITY THREATS RIGHT NOW. DOZENS OF MILITARY BASES ARE IMPACTED BY FLOODING, WILDFIRES, DROUGHT, INTENSE HEAT AND MORE. NEWS IS CHRISTOPHER SALAS FROM OUR WASHINGTON BUREAU TELLS US HOW IT'S FORCING THE MILITARY TO MAKE SOME MAJOR CHANGES. IT'S THE LARGEST NAVAL BASE IN THE WORLD. ALL OF OUR AIRCRAFT CARRIERS ON THE EAST COAST ARE BASED HERE AT NAVAL STATION NORFOLK, THE CENTER OF AMERICA'S DEFENSES AT SEA. FLOODING HERE AT NORFOLK IS FAIRLY FREQUENT, MAKING WATER THE MOST IMMEDIATE CHALLENGE TO THIS NAVAL BASE. EXACERBATING THE SEA LEVEL RISE IMPACTS IS SOMETHING CALLED LAND SUBSIDENCE. THE LAND IS ACTUALLY SINKING WHILE THE SEAS ARE RISING. IT'S DISRUPTING DAILY OPERATION. SOMETIMES FOLKS CAN'T GET TO WORK BECAUSE THE FLOODING GETS SO BAD. AND IF A BIG ENOUGH STORM STRIKES, IT CAN SHUT DOWN OPERATIONS FOR WEEKS. LIKE IN 2003, WHEN HURRICANE ISABEL CAUSED BILLIONS OF DOLLARS WORTH OF DAMAGE AT NAVAL STATION NORFOLK AND THE SURROUNDING AREAS. MORE RECENTLY, IN 2018, SEPARATE HURRICANES RIPPED THROUGH TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE IN FLORIDA AND CAMP LEJEUNE IN NORTH CAROLINA. MOTHER NATURE HAS DONE MORE DAMAGE, DIRECT DAMAGE TO US BASES THAN ANY FOREIGN ENEMY IN RECENT YEARS. JOHN CONGER IS THE FORMER ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF DEFENSE FOR ENERGY INSTALLATIONS AND THE ENVIRONMENT. CLIMATE CHANGE IS A DIRECT THREAT TO NATIONAL SECURITY. THAT THREAT DETAILED IN A 2019 DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE REPORT. 53 INSTALLATIONS ACROSS THE COUNTRY ARE FACING RECURRENT FLOODING AND SEA LEVELS CONTINUE TO RISE. THERE'S POTENTIAL TO ADD 60 MORE TO THAT LIST. ANYTHING THAT AFFECTS THAT NATIONAL DEFENSE MISSION BECOMES A PRIORITY, AND THEY HAVE TO PAY ATTENTION, WHICH IS WHY THE DOD ISSUED GUIDANCE LAST YEAR ADVISING ALL BRANCHES OF GOVERNMENT TO CREATE ACTION PLANS TO PREVENT CLIMATE CHANGES, IMPACT IN NORFOLK. THEY KNOW WHAT THEY'RE UP AGAINST. THEY HAVE BEEN PRECISELY MEASURING JUST HOW MUCH SEA LEVELS HAVE RISEN. HERE AT THE NAVAL BASE IN VIRGINIA, WITH THIS WATER GAUGE THAT WAS INSTALLED IN 1927, SINCE THEN, WATER LEVELS HAVE RISEN 18 INCHES AND THEY COULD RISE ANOTHER THREE FEET, ACCORDING TO SOME ESTIMATES. AND IT'S WHY IT'S NO LONGER JUST ABOUT PREVENTION. WE'RE WORKING TO DO IS SEE IF WE CAN MITIGATE THE DAMAGE TO THE GREATEST EXTENT POSSIBLE. THE BASE IS BUILDING SEAWALLS, CLIMATE RESILIENT INFRASTRUCTURE AND RELOCATING UTILITIES TO ADAPT TO MORE FREQUENT FLOODING. A LOT OF THE TIMES WE FIND THAT THE GEAR IS VERY LOW OR UNDERGROUND FOR THE ELECTRIC INFRASTRUCTURE. SO WE ARE MAKING AN EFFORT TO RAISE IT UP, ELEVATE IT FOR THOSE LIKE CONGRESS SAY THE SUCCESS OF THE PLANS AT NORFOLK AND OTHER NAVAL BASES WILL IMPACT THE ENTIRE NATION. MOTHER NATURE IS NOT PULLING ANY PUNCHES AND WE HAVE TO GET READY FOR THAT. AND THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE IS HOPING TO HAVE A BULK OF THE PROJECTS DONE BY 2030, CALLING IT A DECISIVE DECADE FOR CLIMATE ACTION. IN NORFOLK, I'M CHRISTOPHER SALAS AND THE MILITARY ISN'T ALONE. CITIES AND TOWNS ALL ACROSS THE US ARE TAKING ACTION TO PROTECT THEMSELVES FROM SEVERE WEATHER, IN PARTICULAR, THE SURGE OF WATER THAT COMES WITH POWERFUL STORMS. CHIEF NATIONAL INVESTIGATIVE CORRESPONDENT MARK ELBERT SHOWS US SOME OF THE CREATIVE SOLUTIONS. IT'S LOUD. YES. THIS IS THE SOUND A COMMUNITY MAKES PLAYING ITSELF OUT OF CLIMATE FUELED DANGER. THOSE TEETH ARE GRINDING AWAY AT THE SEDIMENT ON THE YARRA RIVER IN MADISON, WISCONSIN. TWO DREDGES, ONE HYDRAULIC AND ONE MECHANICAL ARE SCOOPING OUT THE BOTTOM OF THE RIVER. ESSENTIALLY SO IT CAN HOLD MORE WATER. IS THIS NEEDED? THIS IS ABSOLUTELY NEEDED WITH THE BIG STORMS THAT WE'VE BEEN SEEING. BIG STORMS THAT ARE STRONGER AND THAT KEEP THREATENING MORE AND MORE HOMES. IN 2018, IT WAS THREE FEET HIGHER THAN IT IS TODAY. SO THREE FEET RIGHT ABOUT HERE. THAT'S CORRECT. SO OUR KNEES WOULD BE UNDERWATER, CORRECT? YES, KNEES WOULD BE UNDERWATER. SO MADISON NEEDS MORE ROOM. THE CITY INCLUDES FOUR LAKES WITH CONNECTING RIVERS. THOSE RIVERS ACT AS PIPES LEADING TO THE LAKES AND THEY GET CLOGGED WITH MORE DIRT AND DEBRIS AND WATER WHEN IT STORMS LEADING THE WATER TO SPILL OVER THE BANKS AND BACK UP THE STORM SEWERS FLOODING PARTS OF THE COMMUNITY. WE THOUGHT WE HAD MORE TIME, BUT DANE COUNTY EXECUTIVE JOE PARISI IS OUT OF TIME TO PROTECT RESIDENTS. THE COUNTY BASICALLY BOUGHT ALL OF THIS EQUIPMENT. IS THAT BECAUSE YOU BELIEVE THE PROBLEM IS HERE TO STAY? YEAH. I MEAN, CLIMATE CHANGE IS REAL. THE IMPACTS ARE HAPPENING NOW. HAPPENING NOW ACROSS THE COUNTRY, AS COUNTIES AND CITIES TOLD THE NATIONAL INVESTIGATIVE UNIT IN AN EXCLUSIVE SURVEY WE SENT TO 4000 COMMUNITIES EARLIER THIS YEAR, STRONG STORMS AND MORE FLOODING FROM OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA, AND FAYETTE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA, TO BALDWIN COUNTY, GEORGIA, AND BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, AND TO HOBOKEN, NEW JERSEY. WE BUILD RESILIENCY PARKS TO DEFEND AGAINST RAINFALL, FLOODING. JENNIFER GONZALES, THE CHIEF SUSTAINABILITY OFFICER OF HOBOKEN, GAVE US A TOUR OF THEIR SOON TO BE LARGEST RESILIENCY PARK TO DATE. RESILIENT BECAUSE A MAJORITY OF THE SERVICES WILL BE PERMEABLE SO WATER DOESN'T RUN OFF INTO THE COMMUNITY, BUT INSTEAD COLLECTS IN THIS MILLION GALLON UNDERGROUND TANK THAT WILL PREVENT THAT AREA FROM FLOODING, HOPEFULLY SAVING HOMES, SAVING PROPERTY, SAVING LIVES. ABSOLUTELY. THE CITY LIKE SO MANY OTHERS ALONG THE EAST COAST, IS STILL TRAUMATIZED FROM SUPERSTORM SANDY. IN 2012, A FEROCIOUS POUNDING THAT CAUSED A TOTAL $70 BILLION IN DAMAGE. 125 MILLION OF THAT HERE IN HOBOKEN. THE COMMUNITY SAID DO SOMETHING, DO SOMETHING BIG, DON'T DO NOTHING. DEFINITELY DON'T DO NOTHING. NOW TO RESILIENCY. PARKS ARE OPEN WITH A THIRD UNDER CONSTRUCTION IN MORE PLANNED. RAVI BHALLA IS HOBOKEN'S MAYOR. IF IT'S SUCCESSFUL ONCE IT'S BUILT, IT'S INTENDED TO REALLY BREAK THAT CYCLE AND CREATE A RESILIENT CITY THAT CAN WITHSTAND THE EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE THROUGH THE GENERATION. A LASTING LEGACY, PERHAPS, OF TAMING THE SURGE NOW THREATENING AMERICA'S COMMUNITIES COAST TO COAST. ON THE HORROR RIVER IN SOUTHERN WISCONSIN, I'M CHIEF NATIONAL INVESTIGATIVE CORRESPONDENT MARK ALBERT AT THAT PROJECT IN WISCONSIN, THE LATEST PHASE OF DREDGING IS EXPECTED TO REMOVE MORE THAN 4000 DUMP TRUCKLOADS OF SEDIMENT FROM THE RIVER. NOW WHEN IT COMES TO RAIN AND DROUGHT, IT'S BOOM OR BUST. WE DON'T MAKE IT RAIN. WE JUST TEND TO MAKE IT RAIN MORE FOR CAPTURING MORE WATER FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE COMMUNITY. SEE THE INNOVATIVE PROJECTS TO COMBAT WORSENING DRY CONDITIONS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. AND HEAR ABOUT THE DIFFICULT CHOICES FARMERS ARE BEING FORCED TO MAKE. ALL DUE TO DROUGHT. WATCHING WILDFIRE MAY GIVE US A GOOD INDICATION OF JUST WHERE WE STAND WITH LASTING WEATHER AND CLIMATE IMPACT. THE CHANGE IS ALREADY DARK, EMBEDDED FROM COAST TO COAST. I'M NOT GOING TO BE CHARGED FOR POWER DURING THE DAY. IF THERE'S ENOUGH SUN AND IT'S COMING IN. THAT'S CORRECT. AND JEFF ROSSEN GIVES US A CRASH COURSE IN RENEWABLE ENERGY. HE HAS THE COSTS AND BENEFITS OF GOING SOLAR. ONE OF THE BIGGEST, WIDEST ONE OF THE BIGGEST, WIDEST REACHING WEATHER STORIES THIS YEAR IS THE LINGERING DROUGHT. BY FAR, THE SOUTHWEST FELT THE MOST EXTREME DROUGHT EFFECTS. BUT IT'S TOUCHED EVERY STATE DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY AS CONDITIONS INTENSIFY THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. RIGHT NOW, MORE THAN 50% OF THE COUNTRY IS STILL EXPERIENCING SOME LEVEL OF DROUGHT. CHIEF METEOROLOGIST IS JOE DIAZ AT OUR STATION KOAT IN NEW MEXICO, TAKES US ON A TOUR OF THE DROUGHT IMPACT ACROSS AMERICA. OH, OH. THE SOIL HAS NO MOISTURE AT ALL. IT'S DRAMATIC. THERE'S NO QUESTION. THE COMMENTARY IS UNIVERSAL. NOBODY'S EVER SAYING IT AS BAD AS IT IS RIGHT NOW. IT'S THE GRIM REALITY IN COMMUNITIES ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY. THE GROUND DRIED UP IN CRACK AT FARM FIELDS FILLED WITH SHRIVELED OLD DEAD CROPS AND RIVERS AND RESERVOIRS DRAINED OF THEIR CRITICAL RESOURCE. AND WHERE I'M STANDING IS TYPICALLY COVERED WITH WATER. THIS TIME OF YEAR. BUT THE DROUGHT AND DEMAND IS DEPLETING THE WATER SUPPLY. FARMERS TELL ME THEY'VE SEEN JUST A FRACTION OF THE AMOUNT OF RAIN THEY NORMALLY DO. 2 TO 3 MORE WEEKS OF THIS COULD HAVE DRASTIC EFFECTS ON THE ECONOMY. THE MILLION DOLLAR QUESTION WHEN WILL THIS DROUGHT END? THIS YEAR'S DROUGHT HAS BEEN ONE OF THE WORST ON RECORD FOR MUCH OF THE COUNTRY. IN OCTOBER, NEARLY 82% OF THE U.S. WAS EXPERIENCING SOME LEVEL OF DROUGHT IN MANY STATES. IT'S THE LATEST CHAPTER IN WHAT'S BEEN A LENGTHY SPAN OF DAMAGE AND DRYNESS. NEW MEXICO IS ONE OF THE SOUTHWESTERN STATES TRAPPED IN A DECADES LONG MEGA DROUGHT, SOMETHING NOT SEEN SINCE AT LEAST THE 1500S. THIS DRY CYCLE STARTED AROUND THE YEAR 2000, IS OFTEN THICK BY NOW WE'D BE SEEING THE BEGINNINGS OF, A WET CYCLE. HOWEVER WE ARE MORE THAN 20 YEARS INTO THIS HISTORIC MEGADROUGHT AND THERE'S NOTHING TO CHANGES ANYTIME SOON. THE INTENSE DROUGHT IS EVEN SUCKING THE LIFE OUT OF THE MASSIVE RIO GRANDE DAME, A PRIMARY WATER SUPPLY FOR NEW MEXICO AND OTHER STATES. LOWER RIVER LEVELS MEAN WATER AVAILABLE TO THOSE AREAS THAT DESPERATELY NEED MORE. 900 MILES TO THE NORTHEAST, PARTS OF CENTRAL IOWA ARE RUNNING AS MUCH AS TWO FEET BELOW AVERAGE ON RAINFALL. THE LAND WHERE THE TALL GROWS CAN'T STAND UP TO THAT NICKNAME. AND THESE UNUSUAL DROUGHT CONDITIONS, CLIMATE CHANGE IS SHIFTING PRECIPITATION EVENTS TO THIS BOOM OR BUST SCENARIO. A LOT OF PRECIP OR NO PRESET OR PROLONGED TIME PERIODS. ONE MINUTE, THE CORN AND SOYBEAN FIELDS ARE BONE DRY. THE NEXT INTENSE SPORADIC RAIN MAKES IT IMPOSSIBLE TO PLANT OR HARVEST. THAT BOOM OR BUST SCENARIO IS STRIKINGLY VISIBLE, AND THE PLATTE RIVER, WHICH SUPPLIES 70% OF IOWA'S DRINKING WATER AND MILES AWAY, THERE IS ANOTHER PROBLEM FOR THESE FARMERS ON THE MIGHTY MISSISSIPPI RIVER. THE WATERWAY THEY USE TO MOVE CROP EXPORT YARDS. AS YOU CAN SEE, WE'RE 40 OR 50 FEET BENEATH WHAT A NORMAL RIVER LEVELS HERE AT THE OFFICE ARE. THAT MEANS BARGE TRAFFIC IS RESTRICTED TO SINGLE FILE CARRYING LIGHTER LOADS TO AVOID RUNNING AGROUND. YOU CAN'T GET AS MUCH FREIGHT BARGE AS YOU NORMALLY DO. IT'S HAPPENING AT A REALLY INOPPORTUNE TIME. AND THAT'S CALLED HARVEST SEASON. THE ONGOING DROUGHT IN CALIFORNIA HAS FORCED FARMERS TO MAKE SOME VERY DIFFICULT DECISIONS THIS YEAR. CALIFORNIA IS CONSIDERED THE HOT SPOT FOR PROLONGED AND SEVERE DROUGHT. AT SEVERAL POINTS THIS YEAR, THE ENTIRE STATE WAS EXPERIENCING THE HIGHEST CATEGORIES OF DROUGHT OR SEEN WIDESPREAD WATER RESTRICTIONS. FARMERS WHO GROW EVERYTHING FROM VEGETABLES TO WHEAT HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO PRODUCE LESS OR CUT OUT SOME CROPS ENTIRE LEAGUE. WE HAVE ALWAYS HAVE TO FIGHT FOR OUR FOOD. WHAT'S DIFFERENT NOW IS BECAUSE THE CLIMATE IS CHANGING FASTER THAN WAS CHANGING BEFORE. WE STRIVE TO MAKE MONEY BY PRODUCING THINGS, AND WHEN IT'S THIS DRY, IT'S HARD TO PRODUCE ANYTHING. THE CRUCIAL FOOD SUPPLY WE NORMALLY SEE COMING FROM THESE NEBRASKA CORN FIELDS IS NOW HALF OF WHAT IT USED TO BE. AND SAUNDERS AND DODGE COUNTIES, THEY'VE ONLY SEEN A THIRD OF THE MORE THAN 30 INCHES OF RAIN. TYPICALLY ALL FOR THE GROWING SEASON. I'VE GOT PLACES OUT IN MY FIELD THAT JUST BURNED RIGHT TO THE GROUND. IT'S NOT ONLY OUR FOOD SUPPLY. THAT'S A PROBLEM. WITH RANGELAND DRYING UP AND GRAIN COSTS SOARING, SOME FARMS CAN'T FEED ALL THE CATTLE. IT'S REALLY KIND OF THE ONLY CHOICE IS TO SELL THE HERD. IT AFFECTS THE FEED COSTS SO MUCH THAT IT'S CHEAPER JUST TO MOVE THE CATTLE THAN IT IS TO MOVE THE FEED. IN NEW ENGLAND, LOOKS ARE DECEIVING. DON'T BE FOOLED BY WHAT APPEARS TO BE GRAIN THRIVING FIELDS AND HEALTHY TREES. THE ENTIRE AREA IS SUFFERING MODERATE TO SEVERE DROUGHT. WE NEED SOME RAIN. WE NEED LIKE THREE OR FOUR INCHES OF RAIN. RAIN THAT MIGHT HELP REPLENISH THE DRIED UP. WELL, THAT NEEDS TO PUMP 10,000 GALLONS OF WATER EVERY DAY TO KEEP THESE MAINE COWS HYDRATED. WE ARE APPROACHING A REAL, REAL EMERGENCY AND MORE REGULAR RAINFALL IS NEEDED SOUTH IN MASSACHUSETTS, WHICH IS EXPERIENCING SOME OF THE MOST SEVERE DROUGHT CONDITIONS IN THE REGION. MASSIVE DRINKING WATER RESERVOIR HOURS ARE AT CRITICAL LEVELS. THE CAPE COD BOGS THAT DELIVER CRANBERRIES ARE JUST PUDDLES. THE MARSH ITSELF IS JUST COMPLETELY DRYING OUT. AND ONE IN EVERY TEN CHRISTMAS TREES AT THIS TREE FARM HAVE ALREADY DIED. THERE'S A BIG ONE HERE THAT JUST DIDN'T MAKE IT LAW. WE JUST HAVE TO LIVE WITH IT. WE CAN'T FIGHT MOTHER NATURE. IT IS WHAT IT IS. BUT THE FIGHT IS ON TO OVERCOME, EVEN OUTSMART MOTHER NATURE AND THE ERRATIC WEATHER AND CLIMATE. I HAD TO GET A PLACE LIKE THIS WHERE I CAN CONTROL THE WEATHER. ALL RIGHT. AS CRAZY AS THAT WOULD SOUND, I CAN CONTROL THE WEATHER IN HERE. RAN BOOZER BROUGHT THE GROWING SEASON INSIDE SIDE, INVESTING IN A HYDROPONIC GREENHOUSE TO HELP HIS PRODUCE SURVIVE. THIS DROUGHT FIGHTING TOOL SEEMS LIKE SCIENCE FICTION. WE DON'T MAKE IT RAIN. WE JUST TEND TO MAKE IT RAIN MORE OR CAPTURING MORE WATER FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE COMMUNITY. CALIFORNIA IS ONE OF AT LEAST EIGHT STATES NOW SEEDING. CLOUDS USING PLAYER TREES AND OTHER METHODS TO PRIME THE SKY AND DELIVER RAIN THAT WOULDN'T HAVE FALLEN TEN AND 20% INCREASE IN PRECIPITATION. WE'RE NOT CHANGING THE ENVIRONMENT. WE'RE JUST MAKING IT A LITTLE BIT MORE EFFICIENT. AND BACK IN NEW MEXICO, THEY'RE CHANGING BAD WATER INTO GOOD. THIS IS THE GROUNDWATER. NATIONAL DE SALAZAR OCEAN RESEARCH FACILITY, WHERE BRACKISH GROUNDWATER IS STRIPPED OF ITS SALT AND TRANSFORMED INTO DRINKABLE WATER FOR PEOPLE AND AGRICULTURE. IF YOU HAVE THIS MUCH OF WATER THAT'S FRESH GROUND WATER, AND THEN YOU CAN SUPPLEMENT WITH DESALINATION WATER, THEN YOU CAN SOMEWHAT MITIGATE THE CHANGES THAT ARE HAPPENING WITH SEASONS AND CLIMATE CHANGE CHANGES IS HAPPENING IN REAL TIME. PRESENTING CHALLENGES, WE HOPE WE CAN OVERCOME. AND WE'RE FARMERS. THAT'S ALL WE HAVE IS HOPE FOR FORECASTS IN OUR FUTURE. I'M METEOROLOGIST JOE DIAZ. LIKE HURRICANES, DROUGHT IS ANOTHER ONE OF THOSE BILLION DOLLAR WEATHER DISASTER WHOSE ESTIMATES OF THIS YEAR'S DAMAGE AND ECONOMIC LOSSES VARY FROM 10 TO $30 BILLION. AND THERE IS SOME PROMISING NEWS THE PAST FEW WEEKS, MANY AREAS RECEIVED RAINFALL THAT WILL AT LEAST TEMPORARILY IMPROVE DROUGHT CONDITIONS AND DROUGHT, ALONG WITH LONG PERIODS OF INTENSE HEAT AND OTHER WEATHER FACTORS ARE HAVING A MASSIVE IMPACT ON ANIMALS FROM DWINDLING FOOD SOURCES. DISRUPTED MITIGATION PACK PATTERNS TO HABITATS THAT ARE VANISHING. METEOROLOGIST STEPHANIE WALKER FROM W.V. WHITMAN, ALABAMA, TELLS US HOW WILDLIFE IS CHANGING. WHALES ARE AMONG THE LARGEST AND MOST MAJESTIC ANIMALS IN THE WORLD. TYPICALLY, THEY STICK TO COOLER OFFSHORE WATERS WHERE THERE'S PLENTY OF FOOD, BUT THAT'S CHANGING. AND CALIFORNIA'S MONTEREY BAY, WE'VE BEEN SEEING A LOT WARMER WATERS OFFSHORE. SO WE'RE TALKING PROBABLY ABOUT 100 MILES OFFSHORE. BUT WHAT THAT DOES IS IT PUSHES A LOT OF THE ANIMALS THAT ARE USUALLY FAR AWAY FROM OUR COAST CLOSER. NOAH, ECOLOGIST ELLIOT HAZEN SAYS THAT WARMING OCEAN WATER IS MAKING FOOD SOURCES MORE SCARCE, FORCING WELLS CLOSER TO SHORE TO FEED ON. ON THE EAST COAST, SCIENTISTS SAY WARMING WATER IS ALSO CHANGING THE MIGRATION SCHEDULE OF HUMPBACK AND THE NORTH ATLANTIC RIGHT WHALES. THE MOST POPULAR TIME FOR RIGHT AND HUMPBACK WHALES IN CAPE COD BAY HAS MOVED FORWARD IN TIME BY ABOUT THREE WEEKS, OVER TWO DECADES. SO THAT'S ALMOST A DAY FOR YEAR DIFFERENCE. WITH BOTH WHALES IN DANGER TWO AND FEDERALLY PROTECTED. A CLIMATE CHANGE IN THEIR HABITAT CAN ALSO IMPACT THE ECONOMY. RESTRICTIONS FOR COMMERCIAL FISHERMEN COULD BE EXTENDED AND SHIPPING VESSELS MAY FACE THE LOWER SPEED LIMITS FOR LONGER PERIODS TO ENSURE THEY AVOID THE WHALES. WE KNOW THAT CLIMATE CHANGE IS HAVING AN EFFECT ON WHERE SPECIES ARE IN THE OCEAN, AND WE'RE DOING OUR BEST TO TRY TO RAPIDLY RESPOND. SHARKS ON BOTH COASTS ARE ALSO RESPONDING TO THE OCEAN WARMING TREND, TRAVELING FURTHER NORTH THAN EVER BEFORE. THIS IS ONE OF THE AQUARIUM'S FIRST EXAMPLE OF HOW A MARINE ANIMAL HAS DEMONSTRATED THE EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE. AND IT COMES WITH SOME DETRIMENTAL EFFECTS, DETRIMENTAL IN THE SENSE SHARKS ARE DRIVEN CLOSER TO SEA OTTERS AND SEALS REDUCE THOSE POPULATIONS AND THAT PROXY TO SHORE INCREASES THE CHANCES OF ENCOUNTERS WITH PEOPLE, ENCOUNTERS WITH A POTENTIAL DANGER OF ANOTHER KIND ARE ALSO GROWING. A DOG RUNS OUT AND HAPPENS TO SMELL A BUSH, AND ALSO IN THE BUSH STARTS RATTLING. DURING RECENT SUMMERS AS DROUGHT INTENSIFIED AND AVERAGE SEASONAL TEMPERATURES CLIMBED, WILDLIFE WORKERS SAW MORE SNAKES CLOSER TO HOMES AND PEOPLE AS THEY SAW COOLER, DAMP SHELTER AND MORE SOURCES OF WATER. IT'S A WILDLIFE PROBLEM. DROUGHT. ALL THESE ANIMALS HAVE TO DRINK. THEY SMELL SOMETHING IN YOUR CAR. IN THE NORTHEAST TO UNUSUAL WINTER WARMTH IS WAKING BEARS EARLY FROM HIBERNATION IN THE NORTHWEST, EXTREME DROUGHT IS BLAMED FOR KILLING UNHAPPY SALMON SINKING THEIR POPULATION IN LOW RIVER LEVELS IN THE MIDWEST. AGAIN, A RESULT OF DROUGHT. ARE DAMAGING THE HABITAT FOR MIGRATING WILDLIFE LIKE SANDHILL AND WHOOPING CRANES. AND NATIONWIDE, SOME INSECTS ARE ESSENTIALLY DISAPPEARING. THE MONARCH BUTTERFLY WE CONSIDER TO BE THAT CANARY, THE COAL MINE, NORTH AMERICA'S MOST TRAVELED INSECT, THE MONARCH BUTTERFLY, IS NOW CLASSIFIED AS ENDANGERED. OVER THE LAST TWO DECADES, RESEARCHERS SAY 80 TO 90% OF THE POPULATION HAS HAS BEEN LOST. WE HAVE SOME EMPTY CHRYSALIS WITH JUST THE SHELL LEFT. THESE ONES EMERGED MERE HOUR AGO. RAISE AND RELEASE PROGRAMS LIKE THIS ONE IN CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, WORKING TO GIVE MONARCH NUMBERS A BOOST WHILE ALSO TRACKING HOW MANY ARE LEFT IN THE WILD. LOSING THE MONARCH BUTTERFLY WOULDN'T JUST BE LOSING ONE BUTTERFLY, BUT THE FIRST DOMINO FALLING. WHAT WE'RE SEEING NOW GLOBALLY IS UP TO A 75% DECLINE IN INSECT POPULATIONS. THE CAUSES THAT WE'RE SEEING ARE, NUMBER ONE, OF COURSE, IS CLIMATE CHANGE. THE HEAT IS CHANGING. THE PATTERN OF THEIR FOOD SOURCES. GO OUTSIDE TO NIGHT. YOU WON'T HEAR THE SAME INSECT CALLS YOU HEARD TEN, 15 YEARS AGO. IT'S IT'S EERILY QUIET FOR FORECAST EATING OUR FUTURE. I'M METEOROLOGIST STEPHANIE WALKER. NOW THERE IS WORK UNDERWAY TO HELP GET A HANDLE ON ALL THESE CHANGES FROM SEVERE WEATHER AND THE SHIFT IN CLIMATE. STILL AHEAD, THE BIG AND SMALL IDEAS LEADING THE WAY IN LOCAL COMMUNITIES. PLUS, HI, I'M JEFF ROSS. AND COMING UP ON RAW, SOME REPORTS WE HEAR SO MUCH ABOUT SOLAR. PART OF OUR CONTINUING SERIES FORECASTING OUR FUTURE. WE'RE CRUNCHING THE NUMBERS FOR YOU. HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO GET PANELS ON YOUR HOUSE? HOW MUCH COULD YOU SAVE ON YOUR ELECTRIC BILL? AND BY THE WAY, WE JUST FOUND OUT YOU CAN ACTUALLY POSSIBLY MONEY BACK FROM THE ELECTRIC COMPANY ON YOUR NEXT MONTH'S BILL IF YOU HAVE TOO MUCH SOLAR. ANYWAY, WE'RE GOING TO TELL YOU ALL ABOUT THIS. SAVE YOU SOME MONEY. YOU KNOW HOW WE DO WRONG. SOME REPORTS NEXT. AND A REMINDER TO STAY INFORMED ABOUT THE WEATHER IN YOUR COMMUNITY WITH OUR MOBILE APP. THE APP LETS YOU ACCESS OUR LOCAL WEATHER FORECAST AT ANY TIME, AND YOU CAN RECEIVE SEVERE WEATHER ALERTS FROM TEAM OF METEOROLOGISTS. IT'S A FREE DOWNLOAD FOR ANY MOBILE DEVICE. IF YOU DRIVE AROUND YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD, YOU'LL LIKELY SEE HOMES WITH SOLAR PANELS ON THE ROOF OR MAYBE EVEN IN BACKYARD. ENERGY FROM THE SUN CAN TAKE STRESS OFF THE POWER GRID AND THE ENVIRONMENT. THE INFLATION REDUCTION ACT IS GIVING HOMEOWNERS A 30% TAX CREDIT ON NEW SOLAR INSTALLATIONS FOR THE NEXT DECADE. BUT WHAT DOES SOLAR REALLY COST YOU? AND IS THAT OUTWEIGHED BY ANY BENEFIT? WE ASKED NATIONAL CONSUMER CORRESPONDENT JEFF ROSSEN TO GET SOME ANSWERS. THIS IS TIMELY WITH RECORD BREAKING HEAT AND POWER GRIDS STRAINED TO THE MAX. THIS IS WHERE SOLAR SHINES. IT HELPS THE ENVIRONMENT EASING STRAIN ON THE GRID. BUT YOU ALSO WANT TO KNOW HOW IT AFFECTS YOU FINANCIALLY. WE'RE CRUNCHING THE NUMBERS. ALL RIGHT. WE'RE AT A HOUSE RIGHT NOW WHERE THEY'RE ACTUALLY IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INSTALL FOR SOLAR. AND WE'RE GOING TO WALK YOU THROUGH THIS AS IT HAPPENS. HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO? PUT ALL THIS STUFF UP. AND HOW MUCH MONEY CAN YOU SAVE? THIS IS JENSEN CHAPMAN FROM SUNPOWER. DOING THIS MY OFF THE POWER GRID ENTIRELY. WHEN I PUT SOLAR UP. WELL, NOT NECESSARILY. ALL SOLAR ELECTRIC SYSTEMS ARE TIED INTO THE ELECTRICAL GRID. SO THINK OF IT THIS WAY. WHEN YOU HAVE SOLAR ON THE ROOF, THAT BECOMES YOUR FIRST SOURCE OF ELECTRICITY FOR THE HOME. NOW, DURING CLOUDY DAYS OR STORMY WEATHER, THAT'S WHEN YOU CAN RELY ON THE GRID OR SAY AT NIGHT. SO YOU'RE STILL IN THE POWER GRID IF YOU NEED THE POWER, IF IT'S CLOUDY, SOMETHING. BUT THAT'S A LAST RESORT, RIGHT? CORRECT. I'M NOT GOING TO BE CHARGED FOR POWER DURING THE DAY IF THERE'S ENOUGH SUN AND IT'S COMING IN. THAT'S CORRECT. ALL RIGHT. LET'S GET DOWN TO THE CARS. THE AVERAGE SIZE HOME IS ABOUT 2300 SQUARE FEET AND THE COST OF GETTING SOLAR PANELS INSTALLED CAN AVERAGE ABOUT $20,000. BUT YOU CAN CUT THAT DOWN WITH FEDERAL, STATE AND LOCAL TAX CREDITS. IN THIS CASE, JUST THE FEDERAL INCENTIVE, A LOAN OF 30% OFF WILL GET YOU $6,000 OFF. BRING THAT $20,000 AVERAGE DOWN TO 14,000. CAN YOU WITH THE INSTALLATION COST, IS THERE LIKE A PAYMENT PLAN OR DO YOU HAVE TO PAY THAT ALL UPFRONT? ABSOLUTELY. FOUR ZERO DOWN. AGAIN, YOU CAN FINANCE THE COST OF YOUR SYSTEM AND THAT MONTHLY PAYMENT IS GOING TO COMPETE WITH YOUR ELECTRIC BILL, SOMETIMES A LITTLE MORE. SOMETIMES THE SAME AND SOMETIMES A LITTLE LESS. SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO PAY OUT 20 GRAND OFF THE TOP TO INSTALL THE PANELS. CORRECT. SO HOW MUCH CAN YOU SAVE ON YOUR MONTHLY ELECTRIC BILL? YOU START SAVING FROM DAY ONE, A SOLAR CAN CUT YOUR MONTHLY ENERGY BILL BY, GET THIS, UP TO 50% OFF. BUT WAIT UNTIL YOU HEAR THIS NEXT PART. WE TALKED ABOUT THE CLOUDY DAYS OR NIGHTTIME WHEN YOU'RE NOT GETTING ENOUGH. BUT THERE ARE ALSO TIMES WHEN YOU HAVE TOO. SO WHAT HAPPENS WITH THAT SURPLUS WHEN YOU HAVE SOLAR ON THE ROOF AND YOU'RE PRODUCING MORE ENERGY THAN WHAT THE HOME IS USING? THAT ENERGY CAN EITHER GO BACK TO THE GRID TO GET CREDITS FOR IT OR YOU CAN HOLD ON. YOU'LL GET LIKE A CREDIT ON YOUR BILL FOR THE NEXT TIME YOU NEED TO PAY THE ELECTRIC COMPANY. THAT'S CORRECT. SO YOU'RE BASICALLY SELLING IT BACK TO THEM? THAT'S CORRECT. OR YOU COULD STORE THAT EXTRA SOLAR POWER IN YOUR OWN SOLAR BATTERY THAT CAN BE USED ON DEMAND, SAY, AT NIGHT OR DURING GRID OUTAGES. THAT'S RIGHT. NO NEED TO GO OUT AND BUY A CLUNKY GENERATOR FOR POWER OUTAGES. YOUR SOLAR STORAGE IS YOUR GENERATOR. HERE'S THE BIG THING. THE COST AND HOW USEFUL IT IS VARIES FROM HOUSE TO HOUSE. GOOGLE HAS A WEBSITE CALLED PROJECT SUNROOF. YOU JUST TYPE IN YOUR ADDRESS AND USES GOOGLE EARTH IMAGERY TO ANALYZE YOUR OWN ROOF AND LOCAL PATTERNS. IT WILL EVEN KALKI LATE YOUR AVERAGE ELECTRIC BILL AND HOW MUCH MONEY YOU IN PARTICULAR CAN SAVE IF YOU GO SOLAR. I'M GOING TO PUT A LINK TO THAT WEBSITE ON MY WEBSITE AT RAWSON REPORTS DOT COM. IT'S A GREAT TOOL. SOLAR ENERGY, WIND POWER, ELECTRIC VEHICLES, THEY'RE ALL INDUSTRIES AND THEY'RE GROWING. CHIEF NATIONAL INVESTIGATIVE CORRESPONDENT MARK ALBERTS SHOWS US SOME OF THE UNIQUE CLIMATE CAREERS ALREADY BUILDING RESUME. AND WE'RE TEARING DOWN THE HOUSE. WE'RE GOING TO REUSE THE MATERIALS THAT WE CAN. JAKE WILEY IS DECONSTRUCTING A HOUSE A HALF HOUR NORTH OF MINNEAPOLIS. CAN YOU HOOK ME UP? AND BUILDING HIMSELF UP, BACK UP HIS LONG ADULT COURT RECORD BEGINS AT 18. THEFT, FLEEING POLICE AND DRUG POSSESSION. NOW, AT 29, IT'S TIME FOR A RENOVATION. WHEN HE GOT OUT OF PRISON, MARCH FIRST, THIS PROGRAM IS HELPING SAVE MY LIFE. WILEY WORKS FOR BETTER FUTURES. MINNESOTA, A NONPROFIT GROUP THAT GIVES GREEN JOBS TO THOSE WHO USED TO WEAR THAT COLOR AND OTHER DARK HUES IN PRISON. HEADS UP. 1400 FELONS. SO FAR. AND WE WANT AS LITTLE WASTE AS POSSIBLE. P.J. HUBBARD IS A VICE PRESIDENT AT BETTER FUTURES. IT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT CLIMATE RESILIENCY. IT'S ABOUT PERSONAL RESILIENCE. CORRECT. ALONG WITH A LIVE SALVAGED UP TO 85% OF EACH HOME RESOLD TO THE PUBLIC FOR REUSE. THE COUNTY HERE, HENNEPIN, PROVIDES $200,000 A YEAR TO NURTURE THE PROGRAM. IT'S BOTH THAT SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL MISSION, WHICH IS REALLY, I THINK, THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS FOR THIS PROJECT. NOW, SOME COMMUNITIES ARE STARTING EVEN SOONER TO MAKE THE CHANGE. GOT THE SOLUTION ON THE FIRST SATURDAY IN MAY. THE ISLAND OF KAWAIHAE IN HAWAII HELD A YOUTH CLIMATE SUMMIT. ONE IN FOUR ISLAND RESIDENTS IS UNDER 25 YEARS OLD. THE GREEN WORKFORCE OF THE FUTURE. NEARBY THE BIG ISLAND OF HAWAII HAS LAUNCHED A TRAINING SCHOOL TO BUILD A RENEWABLE ENERGY WORKFORCE. OTHER STATES ARE INCREASING EDUCATION AND AS WELL. I'VE ONLY HAD TWO WEEKS OF CLIMATE EDUCATION. COZY F.G. JUST GRADUATED FROM BANGOR HIGH SCHOOL IN MAINE. SHE HELPED LOBBY STATE LAWMAKERS TO CREATE A $2 MILLION GRANT PROGRAM FOR MORE CLIMATE EDUCATION IN SCHOOLS. OBVIOUSLY, CLIMATE CHANGE IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUES OF OUR GENERATION. MELISSA LUCCI IS BUILDING THOSE LESSONS INTO HER SCIENCE CLASSES AT KENNEBUNKPORT SCHOOL IN YORK, MAINE. YOU ARE EMPOWERING YOUTH TO ACTUALLY MAKE A CHANGE AND BE AN ADVOCATE FOR CLIMATE CHANGE. EDUCATION, WAGES FOR GREEN JOBS ARE RISING UP MORE THAN 11% FOR ENTRY LEVEL JOBS JUST THREE YEARS, ACCORDING THE U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. NEARLY 900,000 AMERICANS NOW WORK IN GREEN WITH THESE STATES LEADING THE WAY, SAYS PROMISE LEAF, A COMPANY THAT PROVIDES BUSINESSES. SO SUSTAINABLE PROMOTIONAL PRODUCTS LIKE JAKE WILEY NOW DECONSTRUCTING HOMES OUTSIDE MINNEAPOLIS AND LAYING HIS OWN FOUNDATION FOR A STABLE LIFE MAKE 1750 PER HOUR. AS A SUPERVISOR, HIS FIRST GREEN JOB ADDS UP, THE FIRST, PERHAPS IN A BUDDING CLIMATE CAREER. IT HELPS THE PLANET, YOU KNOW. IT TEACHES ME A LOT IN DAYTON, MINNESOTA. I'M CHIEF NATIONAL INVESTIGATIVE CORRESPONDENT MARK ALBERT. AND THIS YEAR, OUR NATIONAL INVESTIGATIVE UNIT ASKED EVERY COUNTY IN AMERICA AND MAJOR CITIES WHAT THEY'RE DOING TO COMBAT A CHANGING CLIMATE. GROWING GREEN CAREERS WAS ONE THING WE HEARD ALONG WITH NEW GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS FOCUSED ON WEATHER. AND YOU CAN FIND THE FULL RESULTS TO THE QUESTIONNAIRE AND THE FORECAST IN OUR FUTURE SECTION OF OUR MOBILE APP. WE GO FROM CAREERS TO INVENTIONS AND INITIATIVES, REDUCING OUR IMPACT ON THE ENVIRONMENT. WE HAVE TO SHIFT HOW WE USE OUR RESOURCES. SO THIS WHOLE RECIRCULATE SYSTEM, WE USE UPWARDS OF 95% LESS WATER. SEE THE NEW AGE OF FARMING HOW SOME ARE GROWING MORE, USING LESS LAND AND FEWER RESOURCES. NO MATTER THE WEATHER. AND THIS SIMPLE SOLUTION THAT'S HELPING KEEP MARINAS AND WATERFRONTS POLLUTION FREE. PEOPLE IN ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS PEOPLE IN ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS THE COUNTRY ARE IN SEARCH OF SOLUTIONS TO REDUCE THE IMPACT OF EXTREME WEATHER AND SO THE CHANGES WE'RE SEEING WITH OUR CLIMATE. METEOROLOGIST TYLER JEAN KOSKI, WPT, SHOWS US SOME OF THE CREATIVE APPROACHES BEING TAKEN RIGHT NOW. THERE'S NO OTHER PLACE THIS GROUP WOULD RATHER BE ENJOYING. A BEAUTIFUL DAY ON THE LAKE IN MISSOURI, CASTING A LINE IN THE WATER, JUST GETTING THAT THUMP AND THAT FIRST BITE SAID THIS IS SOMETHING I WANT TO FEEL ALL THE TIME. FISHING IS LIFE FOR BRIAN SAUERS, AN ORGANIZER OF THE CROP MASTERS. ALL OF AMERICAN TRAIL FISHING TOURNAMENT. HE SAYS WE ALL HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY IN KEEPING WATERWAYS AND THE ENVIRONMENT CLEAN AND HEALTHY. THAT CARBON FOOTPRINT IS SOMETHING WE ARE VERY YOU KNOW, WE TALK ABOUT THAT ALL THE TIME. TO HELP SOURS IS AMONG THE PEOPLE PUSHING ANGLERS TO USE E10 FUEL AND THEIR BOAT MOTORS. A BLEND OF GAS THAT USES A HIGHER PERCENTAGE OF ETHANOL THAN TYPICAL BLENDS AND RUNS CLEANER. WHAT THAT DOES, IT LOWERS EMISSIONS. CLEANER AIR, CLEANER WATER AND BETTER FISHERY. HELPING COWS RUN CLEANER CAN REDUCE GLOBAL GREENHOUSE GAS LEVELS TO ABOUT 50% OF THE CARBON THAT WE PRODUCE ON OUR FARM. IT'S ACTUALLY COME FROM THE GASES THAT THE COWS PRODUCE. EVERY BURP FROM A COW AND EVERY PILE OF MANURE EMITS METHANE. THESE 500 COWS AT SUNSET LAKE FARM IN VERMONT WHO HELPED PRODUCE YOUR BEN AND JERRY'S ICE CREAM, ARE NOW ON THE LEADING EDGE OF HELPING OUR ENVIRONMENT. WHAT? WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING A FEED TRIAL WITH FEEDING THE COW SEAWEED. THE NEW HIGH QUALITY DIET CUTS DOWN ON GAS AND WHAT'S STILL RELEASED FROM THE MANURE WILL BE CONVERTED INTO GAS. YOU CAN TAKE METHANE FROM A DIGESTED COW MANURE AND CLEAN IT UP AND PUT IT INTO OUR PIPELINE SYSTEM. AND THAT'S NOT THE ONLY PART OF FARMING THAT'S CHANGING. AT SPRINGWORKS FARM IN MAINE, GROWING SEASON IS NOW YEAR ROUND, THANKS TO AQUA ONYX, AQUAPONICS AND ITS SIMPLEST FORM IS THE COMBINATION AND SYMBIOTIC RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PLANTS AND FISH. THE PLANTS IN THIS CASE LETTUCE GROWN IN BEDS FLOATING ON WATER AND THE FISH ARE PROVIDING NUTRIENTS. THESE ARE TILAPIA IN OUR SYSTEM. WHAT WE HAVE IS WE HAVE FISH AND THEY'RE DOING THEIR THING AND THEIR WASTE GOES INTO A FILTRATION SYSTEM THAT ULTIMATELY GETS PUMPED INTO TO THESE GROWING BIRDS. WE SEE TODAY. WE GROW A HEAD OF LETTUCE AND LIKE 35, 40 DAYS, WHICH IS NOT TYPICAL IN FIELD FARMING. YOU'RE LUCKY IF YOU'RE GETTING A NICE HEAD OF LETTUCE AND 55 DAYS SPRINGWORKS A MILLION HEADS OF LETTUCE ANNUALLY IN GREENHOUSES TAKING UP LESS THAN AN ACRE OF LAND. WE HAVE TO SHIFT HOW WE USE OUR RESOURCES, WHAT WE CAN CREATE FOR THE FUTURE IS USING SMALLER AMOUNTS OF LAND WITH SYSTEMS LIKE THIS THAT CAN CREATE A LOT MORE PRODUCTIVITY AND INVENTION IN OHIO IS HELPING KEEP MARINAS CLEAN. BEHIND ME YOU ARE SEEING THE PLASTICS, THE CLEAN EARTH ROVER, THE SIZE OF A POOL FLOAT COLLECTS PLASTIC AND TRASH WHILE MONITOR AND BACTERIA AND POLLUTION LEVELS AT THE TAP OF A BUTTON. LOG INTO YOUR GO TO THE APP, IDENTIFY IN YOUR MARINA WHERE IT IS. IT HAS A LIGHTER UNIT ON IT SO IT WON'T CRASH INTO THINGS. IT'S GOT AN EIGHT HOUR BATTERY. YOU GOT IT ON THIS BEACH. IT'S NOT BATTERY POWER, BUT RATHER PEOPLE POWER KEEPING THINGS CLEAN. THEY CAN PICK UP A BASKET AS THEY GO FOR A WALK IF THEY SEE ANY TRASH, THEY CAN PICK IT UP, BRING IT BACK TO OUR TRASH RECEPTACLES AND DISPOSE OF IT THAT WAY. KEEPS OUR BEACHES CLEAN AND CLEAR, CLEANING UP TRASH OR CLEARING POLLUTION FROM THE AIR OR WATER. BOATS. AGAIN, WE CAN ALL PITCH IN BY SIMPLY BEING GOOD STEWARDS OF THE ENVIRONMENT. LEAVE A PLACE BETTER THAN YOU FOUND IT. FORECASTING OUR FUTURE. I'M METEOROLOGIST TYLER. JAN CASKEY. LEAVE IT BETTER THAN YOU FOUND IT. THAT'S A PRETTY GOOD ADVICE. AND YOU CAN LEARN MORE ABOUT THE PROGRAM AND EFFORTS WE JUST SHOWED YOU IN THE FORECASTING OR FUTURE SECTION OF OUR APP. AND WEBSITE. YOU CAN ALSO WATCH EVERY STORY FEATURED HERE OVER THE LAST HOUR AND THE FULL PROGRAM WILL SOON BE AVAILABLE ON DEMAND THROUGH OUR VERY LOCAL STREAMING APP. AND YOU'LL FIND VERY LOCAL AS WELL AS OUR AND WEATHER APP RIGHT THERE IN YOUR APP STORE. OUR METEOROLOGIST AND NEWS TEAM WILL CONTINUE TO DIG DEEPER INTO THE WEATHER, IMPACTING OUR LIVES ALONG WITH BRINGING YOU SEVERE WEATHER COVERAGE AS STORMS HIT. AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US FOR FORECASTING OUR FUTURE. TO TOPPING PIZZAS FOR 699 EACH.