Extreme weather is making storms more intense, slower-moving, and longer-lasting, which puts growing pressure on stormwater systems built for older climate patterns. Heavier rainfall over short periods can overwhelm drains, culverts, and retention systems, while repeated multi-day events reduce recovery time between storms. At the same time, aging infrastructure is weakening under years of wear, deferred maintenance, and repeated exposure to flooding and erosion. More frequent freeze-thaw cycles add another layer of stress by cracking pavement, pipes, and concrete structures, allowing water to penetrate and cause further damage. Together, these trends increase the risk of urban flooding, system failure, and costly repairs while making stormwater planning more urgent. Learning the mesoscale funnel of meteorology helps site owners, operators, responders, and the public better understand how local weather conditions develop, intensify, and create real-world impacts. It connects large-scale atmospheric patterns to neighborhood-level effects like heavy rain, damaging wind, flash flooding, and rapid storm changes that directly affect operations and safety. That understanding improves decision-making by showing not just what is happening, but why it is happening and what signals to watch for next. With better mesoscale awareness, teams can prepare earlier, protect vulnerable assets, adjust staffing, and respond more effectively before conditions worsen. For society more broadly, it builds practical weather literacy that supports smarter mitigation, less disruption, and reduced damage over time. 

Workshop Host: Sunny Wescott with GEOINT ISAC