If you’ve attended or played in a softball or baseball game this summer, you likely share something in common with a lot of Minnesotans. The intense heat, coupled with the high humidity, has led to delays and sweltering conditions for fans, players, and umpires alike. That comes at the end of July 2026, which will go down as the warmest month in American history. There are plenty of church leagues and beer leagues around the state, but one group that meets in the Midway neighborhood of St. Paul is a little different. They have team names like the Grand Slamphibians, Tree Huggers, and Straight A Sluggers. These aren’t just your average Joes. These players are almost all state government workers. Many of those folks work directly on climate issues at the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. So we ventured out to the Dunning Fields on the hottest evening of summer to talk to the experts while they were off the clock.

If you’ve attended or played in a softball or baseball game this summer, you likely share something in common with a lot of Minnesotans. The intense heat, coupled with the high humidity, has led to delays and sweltering conditions for fans, players, and umpires alike. That comes at the end of July 2026, which will go down as the warmest month in American history. There are plenty of church leagues and beer leagues around the state, but one group that meets in the Midway neighborhood of St. Paul is a little different. They have team names like the Grand Slamphibians, Tree Huggers, and Straight A Sluggers. These aren’t just your average Joes. These players are almost all state government workers. Many of those folks work directly on climate issues at the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. So we ventured out to the Dunning Fields on the hottest evening of summer to talk to the experts while they were off the clock.

If you’ve attended or played in a softball or baseball game this summer, you likely share something in common with a lot of Minnesotans. The intense heat, coupled with the high humidity, has led to delays and sweltering conditions for fans, players, and umpires alike. That comes at the end of July 2026, which will go down as the warmest month in American history. There are plenty of church leagues and beer leagues around the state, but one group that meets in the Midway neighborhood of St. Paul is a little different. They have team names like the Grand Slamphibians, Tree Huggers, and Straight A Sluggers. These aren’t just your average Joes. These players are almost all state government workers. Many of those folks work directly on climate issues at the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. So we ventured out to the Dunning Fields on the hottest evening of summer to talk to the experts while they were off the clock.

On softball night, Minnesota climate experts feel the heat

What would you guess is the deadliest disaster in Minnesota history? A wildfire? Blizzard? Tornado? It was none of those. In 1936, a <a href="https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/climate/journal/minnesotas-worst-heat-wave-record.html" class="default">long-term heat wave killed at least 900 across Minnesota</a>. Heat is America’s top weather killer, even in the age of air conditioning and community pools. For the return of the long-running Climate Cast, we wanted to revisit the terrible cost of the 1936 heat wave that hit 90 years ago this month. On July 14, 1936, experts estimated a person was dying every three minutes in Minneapolis alone as a direct result of the heat. In this episode, MPR News chief meteorologist Ben Cathey speaks with with Geoff Williams, the author of a new book, “<a href="https://www.simonandschuster.com/authors/Geoff-Williams/172297574" class="default">The Summer of Death</a>.” Williams calculates that at least 12,000 people died across America. He thinks Minnesota’s official death toll is likely severely under-calculated. Click play on the audio player above to listen to this episode or subscribe to the Climate Cast podcast.

What would you guess is the deadliest disaster in Minnesota history? A wildfire? Blizzard? Tornado? It was none of those. In 1936, a long-term heat wave killed at least 900 across Minnesota. Heat is America’s top weather killer, even in the age of air conditioning and community pools. For the return of the long-running Climate Cast, we wanted to revisit the terrible cost of the 1936 heat wave that hit 90 years ago this month. On July 14, 1936, experts estimated a person was dying every three minutes in Minneapolis alone as a direct result of the heat. In this episode, MPR News chief meteorologist Ben Cathey speaks with with Geoff Williams, the author of a new book, “The Summer of Death.” Williams calculates that at least 12,000 people died across America. He thinks Minnesota’s official death toll is likely severely under-calculated. Click play on the audio player above to listen to this episode or subscribe to the Climate Cast podcast.

What would you guess is the deadliest disaster in Minnesota history? A wildfire? Blizzard? Tornado? It was none of those. In 1936, a <a href="https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/climate/journal/minnesotas-worst-heat-wave-record.html" rel="noopener noreferrer">long-term heat wave killed at least 900 across Minnesota</a>. Heat is America’s top weather killer, even in the age of air conditioning and community pools. For the return of the long-running Climate Cast, we wanted to revisit the terrible cost of the 1936 heat wave that hit 90 years ago this month. On July 14, 1936, experts estimated a person was dying every three minutes in Minneapolis alone as a direct result of the heat. In this episode, MPR News chief meteorologist Ben Cathey speaks with with Geoff Williams, the author of a new book, “<a href="https://www.simonandschuster.com/authors/Geoff-Williams/172297574" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Summer of Death</a>.” Williams calculates that at least 12,000 people died across America. He thinks Minnesota’s official death toll is likely severely under-calculated. Click play on the audio player above to listen to this episode or subscribe to the Climate Cast podcast.

Learning from deadliest disaster in Minnesota history

The infrastructure bill President Joe Biden signed Monday will fund a national network of 500,000 electric vehicle charging stations.

The infrastructure bill President Joe Biden signed Monday will fund a national network of 500,000 electric vehicle charging stations.

Minnesota to see $68M for EV charging stations

Indigenous people from around the world are sharing their knowledge and advocating for their communities at the COP26 climate conference in Glasgow.

Indigenous people from around the world are sharing their knowledge and advocating for their communities at the COP26 climate conference in Glasgow.

Indigenous COP26 delegates skeptical of carbon markets

The climate world is focused on Glasgow this week for COP26, and Minnesota is playing a role in pushing the climate conversation forward.

The climate world is focused on Glasgow this week for COP26, and Minnesota is playing a role in pushing the climate conversation forward.

Minnesotans represent the Midwest at COP26

The cost of climate-change-enhanced weather disasters is hitting taxpayers and companies directly. Now the White House is taking steps to protect the country’s financial systems from such risks.

The cost of climate-change-enhanced weather disasters is hitting taxpayers and companies directly. Now the White House is taking steps to protect the country’s financial systems from such risks.

Protecting U.S. financial systems from climate risk

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz has signed a letter of understanding with Finland, pledging to encourage the state's agencies, universities and businesses to collaborate with Finland on sustainable technology.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz has signed a letter of understanding with Finland, pledging to encourage the state's agencies, universities and businesses to collaborate with Finland on sustainable technology.

Minnesota, Finland agree to team up on climate change

The world’s largest carbon capture facility takes a year to sequester 3-seconds worth of carbon emissions.

The world’s largest carbon capture facility takes a year to sequester 3-seconds worth of carbon emissions.

New carbon capture facility offers hope, sticker shock

The effort is part of a federal investment in climate modeling to help communities better prepare for the effects of climate change.

The effort is part of a federal investment in climate modeling to help communities better prepare for the effects of climate change.

Minnesota researchers tap AI to improve climate models

The health of the seal population can tell scientists how climate change is affecting ice and fish in Antarctica.

The health of the seal population can tell scientists how climate change is affecting ice and fish in Antarctica.

University of Minnesota leads first Weddell seal count

It’s Climate Week in New York City. The good news? Dozens of companies are announcing new climate goals. But do their good intentions actually translate into lower carbon emissions?

It’s Climate Week in New York City. The good news? Dozens of companies are announcing new climate goals. But do their good intentions actually translate into lower carbon emissions?

The evolution of 'greenwashing'

Changing rainfall patterns and more extreme weather swings have made water managers’ jobs difficult. They moderate lake and creek levels to prevent flooding and pollution.

Changing rainfall patterns and more extreme weather swings have made water managers’ jobs difficult. They moderate lake and creek levels to prevent flooding and pollution.

Extreme weather swings challenging watershed managers

MPR News meteorologist Paul Huttner with the latest research on our changing climate.

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