September 18, 2026
MIT researchers are developing new tools to help communities better understand and prepare for extreme weather. The work is part of the “New World of Weather” project, one of MIT’s Climate Grand Challenges launched in 2022 to advance research and practical strategies for addressing climate-related risks. Since its launch, more than 40 faculty and student researchers have contributed to 29 research papers, along with digital tools and datasets that are already in use or nearing deployment.
The research spans several areas, including extreme weather forecasting, climate risk assessment, community planning, and resilient infrastructure. Researchers are studying how warming temperatures are changing extreme rainfall and hurricanes, while others are examining how climate change may affect electrical power systems and how energy infrastructure can be planned to better respond to changing weather patterns.
A related phase of the project, led by Miho Mazereeuw, associate professor in MIT’s Department of Architecture and director of the Urban Risk Lab, focuses on translating climate data and scientific modeling into tools that communities can use. Working with leaders and community members in Boston and Broward County, Florida, the team has developed interactive web-based tools for exploring flood impacts across different scenarios. The Urban Risk Lab is also developing tools for emergency data collection, proactive recovery planning, and AI-assisted visualization of future climate impacts.
The project addresses a gap between scientific information and the information available to communities making decisions before, during, and after extreme weather events. The team is also exploring ways to make complex flood models more accessible to city departments and other users without specialized technical expertise. In addition, Mazereeuw’s research emphasizes the importance of planning for housing recovery before a disaster occurs, allowing communities to use post-disaster resources in ways that support longer-term recovery goals.
More information can be found in this MIT News article