>>> IT HAS BEEN A MONTH OF HIGHS AND LOWS FOR CHICAGO.

I'M TALKING ABOUT SPRING.

THE SPRING SURGE OF RAIN AND SNOW HAS LED TO DANGEROUSLY HIGH WATER LEVELS.

WHEN CAN WE EXPECT THE PLEASANT MAY TEMPERATURES?

HERE TO HELP US OUT IS SCOTT COLLINS, ATMOSPHERIC SCIENTIST AT ARGONNE NATIONAL LABORATORIES.

SCOTT, WELCOME BACK.

LET'S START WITH THE LOCAL LEVELS.

IT IS MAY 1st.

WHAT IS WITH THE WEATHER?

>> WE ARE ABOUT 20 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL FOR MAY 1st.

THE THING ABOUT CHICAGO AND SPRING IS THAT IT FLIPS BACK AND FORTH AND BACK AND FORTH.

AS ALREADY KNOWS, IF YOU DON'T LIKE THE WEATHER, WAIT A WHILE.

>> WHAT KIND OF TEMPERATURES ARE WE LOOKING AT?

>> THEY ARE GOING TO RAISE INTO THE 50s TOMORROW AND INTO THE 70s BY SUNDAY.

>> IS WHATEVER BUT HE WANTS.

LET'S TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT IS HAPPENING IN WESTERN ILLINOIS.

WHAT IS THE LATEST THERE?

>> AT THE MOMENT LOOKING AT DUBUQUE AND DAVENPORT, THEY ARE AT MAJOR FLOOD LEVELS, THE THIRD HIGHEST LEVELS, BECAUSE OF RAPID SNOWMELT IN NORTHWESTERN WISCONSIN AND MICHIGAN.

REMEMBER THE WARM-UP FROM A LITTLE WHILE AGO?

THAT HAD A RADICAL MELTING EFFECT.

>> OKAY.

SO LOOKS LIKE THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER HAS CRESTED AT THIS POINT AND THE WORST IS BEHIND US.

>> IT IS LIKE A SLOPE GOING DOWNSTREAM.

YOU HAVE DUBUQUE AND IOWA AND DAVENPORT.

THAT IS GOING TO MOVE DOWNSTREAM.

IT WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE DOWN TO THE SOUTH OF THE STATE.

>> SO LET'S TALK ABOUT THE PROJECT YOU ARE WORKING ON THAT INVOLVES OUR NEIGHBORS AT NORTHEASTERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY.

HOW WILL THAT WORK?

>> SCIENTISTS AT THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY URBAN INTEGRATED RESEARCH LAB ARE BUILDING A NEW MODEL AND COMPUTERS TO SIMULATE THE IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON CHICAGO .

>> WHEN USING INSTRUMENTS, WHAT INSTRUMENTS AND WHERE?

>> THIS SOUNDS REALLY, REALLY COOL.

IT IS.

YOU WANT TO UNDERSTAND THE THINGS THAT ARE CAUSING ENVIRONMENTAL INJUSTICE IN CHICAGO.

ONE OF THEM IS BAD AIR QUALITY.

THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS THAT PERTAIN TO THE CLIMATE CRISIS.

>> SO THE WACKY WEATHER WE HAVE SEEN THIS SPRING, IS THAT EVIDENCE OF FLOODING?

>> THE MORE WE WON THE PLANET, THE MORE EXTREME THINGS ARE.

CHICAGO'S RAINFALL IS RELATIVELY STABLE.

WE ARE GOING TO GET MORE FREQUENT FLOODS.

>> WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR THE COMMUNITY?

>> THE ONE THING THAT IT HELPS TO DO IS PUSH NUMBERS.

IT MAY HELP WITH DRAINAGE, BETTER AIR QUALITY.

WHAT IT CAN DO IS ACTUALLY GIVE COMMUNITIES ACTIONABLE DATA.

>> BEFORE WE LET YOU GO, SOME OF THE PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS YOU WORK FOR -- >> THE PUERTO RICAN AGENDA OF CHICAGO, THE CHATHAM INITIATIVE, THE MAYOR'S CORPORATION, IT HELPS US GET