>>> THE IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE IS BEING FELT IN WAYS LARGE AND SMALL, BUT IT'S INCREASINGLY CLEAR THAT THE IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE IS NOT FELT EQUALLY.

NOW A TEAM OF RESEARCHERS FROM ARGON NATIONAL LABORATORY IS WORKING WITH ORGANIZATIONS IN CHICAGO TO TRACK THE IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE ACROSS THE CITY.

THE HOPE IS THAT THE DATA COLLECTED WILL HELP THEM DEVELOP STRATEGIES TO BECOME MORE RESILIENT TO THE EXTREME WEATHER CLIMATE CHANGE BRINGS.

>> Reporter: IT'S COMMUNITY RESEARCH ON CLIMATE AND URBAN SCIENCE, A PROJECT FUNDED BY THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY TO REALLY UNDERSTAND A CITY LIKE CHICAGO AND HOW IT CAN BE IMPACTED BY CLIMATE CHANGE.

THE SIMULATIONS ARE DONE ON SUPERCOMPUTERS.

THE PIXEL SIZE IS 50 BY 50.

THAT'S THE ENTIRE CITY.

THE WAY IT MODELS CHATHAM IS THE SAME FOR WEST LAWN.

WHAT WE ARE ABLE TO DO GOING BLOCK BY BLOCK IS REALLY STUDY HOW DRAINAGE, AIR QUALITY, WHETHER YOU HAVE GREEN OR GRAY INFRASTRUCTURE, HOW THAT INFLUENCES THE OUTCOMES FOR THE COMMUNITY IN CHICAGO.

THIS IS THE THERMAL CAMERA.

EVERYTHING HERE IS INTEGRATED IN WITH THE COMPUTING DEVICE THAT COMBINES DATA FROM OUR SENSING INSTRUMENTS, METEOROLOGICAL INSTRUMENTS, SENDS IT BACK TO THE COMPUTING CENTER WHETHER IT'S USED IN SIMULATION EFFORTS.

AS SOON AS WE PUT OUR INSTRUMENTS OUT HERE AND TURN THEM ON, WE START SEEING INTERESTING THINGS.

EVEN LAST WEEK, WE HAD THE CANADIAN WILDFIRES COME THROUGH.

USING THE LIVE SATELLITE AND RADAR SYSTEMS, WE COULD SEE HOW THE SMOKE FROM CANADA WAS INTERACTING WITH THE AIR QUALITY IN THE CITY OF CHICAGO.

THIS IS KIND OF LIKE THE RADAR YOU SEE ON THE TV WEATHER, BUT INSTEAD OF LOOKING OUT, THIS LOOKS STRAIGHT UP.

WHAT THIS GIVES US IS LIKE A SUPER DETAILED HD PICTURE OF THE STRUCTURE OF STORMS SO THAT WE CAN LOOK AT THE SIZE AND SIMULATE THEM AND SEE HOW WE CAN COME UP WITH BETTER SOLUTIONS AND GREEN SOLUTIONS TO HELP COMBAT CLIMATE CHANGE.

THEY CAN IN FACT -- I'M GOING TO PAVE OVER THE CITY AND SEE HOW BAD THE FLOODING IS.

OR I'LL PLANT A LOT OF TREES AND SEE WHAT THE FLOODING IS LIKE.

ONE OF THE IDEAS OF CROCUS IS TO GET PAST, THE TREES ARE GOOD, TO HOW GOOD ARE TREES?

>> IT'S HISTORIC.

WE HAVE HAD FOUR MAJOR FLOOD EVENTS AND I HAVE NOT ONE SHRED OF MEMORABILIA FROM MY CHILDHOOD BECAUSE IT WAS ALL WASHED AWAY OR BLOWN AWAY WITH THE ELECTRICAL FIRE FROM THE FLOODING.

>> Reporter: WHEN IT COMES TO RAINFALL, WATER MOVES.

IT DOESN'T STAY WHERE IT FALLS.

OUR SYSTEM IN CHICAGO LEADS TO A LOT OF THESE INEQUITIES WE SEE.

WE NEED TO, WHEN IT RAINS, NOT JUST THE POOR COMMUNITIES FLOODING ALL THE TIME.

>> WE HAVE THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF FLOOD CLAIMS OF ANY COMMUNITY IN CHICAGOLAND.

WE KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM IS.

WHAT WE WANT IS SOLUTIONS, AND WE ARE HOPING CROCUS CAN HELP US LOOK AT WHAT TO DO FOR THE INDIVIDUAL LEVEL AS HOMEOWNERS, BUSINESS OWNERS, AND ALSO COLLECTIVELY AS A COMMUNITY TO