A weather forecast can shape your whole day — from what to wear and when to exercise, to whether to make dinner plans for the patio. And when severe weather is on the horizon, those forecasts and warnings can save lives.

So how do meteorologists get it right? And why do forecasts sometimes miss the mark?

MPR News host Angela Davis sits down with MPR News meteorologist Mandy Thalhuber to talk about what goes into accurate forecasting, the impact of cuts to the National Weather Service and what makes the work so rewarding.

Guest:

• Mandy Thalhuber is a meteorologist at MPR News, where her forecasts and weather insights can be heard on the radio and found online at Updraft. Before joining MPR News in 2024, she worked at Weatherology, providing local weather forecasts for radio stations across the country.

Nearly one in five Americans rate their mental health and emotional well-being as poor, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness.

In Minnesota, many people's mental health has been strained by a series of overlapping stresses — from the COVID-19 pandemic to the murder of George Floyd, the assassination of former House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, the mass shooting at Annunciation Church and School, and more recently, a surge in federal immigration enforcement that has left many communities experiencing fear and uncertainty.

MPR News host Angela Davis talks with the new leader of NAMI Minnesota about his vision for reaching more Minnesotans with mental health support and how seeking help for his own mental health is shaping the way he leads.

Guest:

• Marcus Schmit is the executive director of the Minnesota chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness. Prior to joining NAMI Minnesota, he was the executive director of Hearth Connection, a nonprofit focused on ending long-term homelessness.

If you or a loved one is experiencing a crisis, you can call or text 988, the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also find the number for your local county or tribal crisis team here.

The arts aren’t just something extra — they’re a central part of how people in Minnesota connect with each other and experience their communities.

Two out of every three Minnesotans attended a concert, visited a gallery or saw live theater in the past year. That engagement adds up. Arts and culture generate an estimated $1.6 billion in annual economic impact across the state, according to the Creative Minnesota 2025 report.

So what shows are drawing in audiences right now? And what challenges are facing arts organizations behind the scenes?

MPR News host Angela Davis talks with two colleagues who cover arts and culture in Minnesota.

Guests:

• Jacob Aloi is a newscaster and arts and culture reporter for MPR News. He’s a member of the American Theatre Critics/Journalists Association. He’s contributed to PRX's The World, American Theater Magazine and NPR's Here and Now. He previously hosted a show on Frogtown Community Radio in St. Paul.    
• Alex V. Cipolle is a senior arts reporter and critic, covering arts and culture for MPR News. She previously covered the arts in the Pacific Northwest and southwest France and has written for publications including The New York Times, Fast Company, Frommer’s and Hyperallergic.