Federal tax credits for solar projects are expiring at the end of this year, and some smaller towns in rural Minnesota have tapped into the benefits.

For Climate Cast this week, MPR News meteorologist Paul Huttner talks to Minnesota Star Tribune reporter Kristoffer Tigue about the skepticism around solar power that many small and local governments had adopted over the years and the economic benefits that changed their minds.

Minnesota continues to bask in warmer temperatures, blurring our seasons together.

“If you break it up month by month, the biggest change we've seen is Septembers,” said Pete Boulay, assistant state climatologist with the Minnesota State Climate Office. “September is evolving into an extension of summer.”

Average temperatures for the fall season have been warming up about one degree a decade since 1970.

“Averages used to be, statewide, about 55 degrees,” Boulay said. “Now we’re about 61 degrees for September temperatures, and we’ve had a lot more warmer than cooler Septembers since 2010.”

MPR News chief meteorologist Paul Huttner talked with Boulay about the state’s fastest warming month and how it could impact fall colors.

To hear the full conversation, click play on the audio player above or subscribe to the Climate Cast podcast.

New research indicates warmer oceans may change ocean currents and atmospheric patterns in a big way.

In this episode of Climate Cast, MPR News chief meteorologist Paul Huttner continues his conversation with John Abraham of the University of St. Thomas about shifting currents in the Atlantic Ocean and the importance of measuring ocean temperatures.