La Crosse’s mayor discusses how city is preparing for future with changing weather patterns

City hired environmental and sustainability planner this year.

Hottest year ever last year. A continuing trend of record-breaking hot years, according to a couple of federal agencies.  

It’s the kind of progression that has the city of La Crosse planning for the future, says Mayor Tim Kabat.

“We didn’t have Januarys where it rained and then you had 40-degree temperatures and then you had cold temperatures again,” Kabat said Wednesday afternoon from the WIZM studio. “I think that’s really the trend we’re going to be facing from here on out.”

It’s one of the reasons why the city is adding an environmental and sustainability planner this year.

“It is something that we need to be prepared for because our weather patterns are different than what they were 20-30 years ago,” Kabat said. “Part of that person’s role will be to help us with these changes. We have to do a better job of being prepared and being more able to adapt, so we are ready for the January rain vs. having the snow and having these freeze-thaw cycles.”

Kabat says the city has to become more resilient to handle years when global climate change might cause more severe floods or droughts or any other extreme weather event.

Here’s the entire conversation with Kabat and Mitch Reynolds: