JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) – Global warming is often regarded as a remote, long-term problem, but extensive research shows its impact currently affects the Magnolia State.

Mississippi was an outlier nationally for lower average temperatures over the last century, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). However, the state’s diverse coastal and inland ecosystems still face a serious threat from global warming. The EPA asserts that the state has become drier, annual rainfall has increased and the sea level is rising about one inch every seven years. Additionally, the agency projects that the days above 95 degrees Fahrenheit yearly will potentially quadruple by 2086.

Though some crops like soybeans and cotton benefit from higher temperatures and increased carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, others like corn will likely have smaller yields. Higher temperatures are also likely to reduce livestock productivity because heat stress disrupts an animal’s metabolism.

Timber is the state’s third largest commodity, according to the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce. Forestry accounts for 4% of all of the state’s jobs. Warmer and drier conditions could change the makeup of Mississippi’s forests and increase the frequency of wildfires, hurting the state’s lucrative commercial timber industry.

Research from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology shows that hurricanes and other major storms have increased in intensity and duration by about 50 percent since the 1970s. Rising sea levels leave beachfront development more vulnerable to storm surges and erosion. By 2100, the EPA estimates that the sea level along some South Mississippi beaches will rise by 15 inches.

Many of the negative effects of climate change cannot be eliminated but can be reduced. Below are things you can implement to reduce your carbon footprint:

• Switch to energy-efficient light bulbs
  • The average household can save more than $200 yearly using LED bulbs. 
• Lower the water heater temperature
  • Adjusting the temperature from 140 to 120 degrees can reduce the risk of scalding and build-up in your pipes, potentially saving consumers hundreds of dollars on energy costs. 
• Get smart with thermostat use
  • People can save as much as 10% on heating by adjusting their temperature seven to 10 degrees from its normal setting for 8 hours a day. 
• Reverse the ceiling fan in the summer
  • Changing the fan direction could save consumers up to 15% on their winter energy bills and up to 30% on their summer energy bills.
• Weatherstrip around windows and doors
  • Weatherstripping around moveable joints reduces air leaks and helps homeowners stay more comfortable year-round. 
• Seal around windows with caulk
  • Certain types of air sealing are best done by a professional, but air sealing around windows or doors with a tube of caulk is an effective, inexpensive DIY energy project.

(NEXSTAR) – El Niño has officially ended, NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center said Thursday, and its cooler counterpart could be just around the corner. La Niña conditions are predicted to take hold over the Pacific Ocean as soon as July, setting the stage to affect our weather here on land.

The Climate Prediction Center issued a La Niña watch Thursday. The group of national forecasters say there’s a 65% chance La Niña forms between July and September. Chances increase even more as we move later into the year.

Odds are La Niña will be with us as we move into peak hurricane season. La Niña years are associated with more hurricanes and more damaging storms in the Atlantic basin.

This year appears likely to follow that pattern. Experts are predicting a record-breaking “hyperactive” 2024 season of tropical storms and hurricanes.

“The likelihood of a La Niña coupled with record warm sea surface temperatures is the reason the National Hurricane Center is forecasting an extraordinary hurricane season,” said Kathie Dello, North Carolina’s state climatologist. “States from Texas to Maine are making preparations for an active year.”

La Niña typically reaches its peak in the winter. That’s when it will likely have the strongest impact on weather patterns.

A La Niña winter usually means dry, warmer-than-average conditions across the southern half of the country. Past La Niña years have contributed to severe drought conditions in California and the Southwest.

Meanwhile, the Pacific Northwest and Ohio Valley tend to get more precipitation, and northern states can see extra-cold weather.

When we’re in a La Niña, water along the Pacific coast is also colder and more nutrient dense, according the National Ocean Service. That’s also good news for marine life, like salmon and squid, that live along the West Coast.

Between now and whenever La Niña officially takes over, we’re in a situation described as “ENSO neutral,” meaning neither El Niño nor La Niña is in place. With or without La Niña in effect, national forecasters are expecting an abnormally hot summer for nearly all parts of the U.S.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

STARKVILLE, Miss.— Mississippi State baseball is a prestigious program with some of the country’s top facilities. Dudy Noble Field is arguably the top stadium in the country, and high school recruits flock to the “Carnegie Hall of College Baseball.”

That was the case for Braden Booth, a native of Madison, Ala., who committed to the Bulldogs in November 2021.

“What stood out to me about Mississippi State was pretty much everything around it,” Booth said. “The atmosphere there, you can’t beat it, and the coaches, I felt like I made a really good connection with them. You can’t beat Mississippi State baseball.”

When Booth committed, the Bulldogs were coming off a national title, and the program was at an all-time high. However, the following seasons were a struggle for MSU, as the team finished at the bottom of the SEC in 2022 and 2023.

However, the righty never wavered on his commitment despite pitching coach Scott Foxall being let go before the end of the 2023 season.

“Whenever I found out that Coach (Scott) Foxhall was let go, I was obviously bummed about it,” Booth said. “I was talking with my parents about what we are gonna do, and we just decided to wait and see who they hire.”

It took MSU head coach Chris Lemonis a long time to hire the next pitching coach, but it was worth the wait, as South Carolina pitching coach Justin Parker was brought into the fold. Parker spent two seasons in Columbia, and the Gamecock hurlers posted a team ERA of 4.19 in 2023, ranking 12th in the nation, and impressed Booth.

“I talked to my travel coach about it, and he got me in touch with a South Carolina player, and I called him to talk about (Justin) Parker,” Booth said. “He was like, “I honestly think that is the best coach for you in college baseball.” I got to talk to Parker and realized that guy knows what he is talking about.”

The impact was immediate as Parker turned the State pitching staff from one of the worst to one of the best. He led the Bulldogs to a team ERA of 4.17, which ranked 13th in the NCAA, lowering the ERAs of Jurrangelo Cintje, Tyler Davis, Tyson Hardin, and first-team All-SEC pitcher Khal Stephen.

“Coach Parker did an amazing job with the pitching staff,” Booth said. “I’m really pleased with the way the team played this year.”

Booth had an impressive campaign this year at Bob Jones High School as he finished the season with a 13-1 record with an ERA of 1.31 and tallied 127 strikeouts. The most important achievement was leading his team to their first baseball state championship, and he was impressive in the series by tossing a two-hitter and striking out seven batters.

“It has always been a goal since my freshman year. At the beginning of the season our team always does season goals, and every single year, one of our goals was to win a state championship,” Booth said. “It wasn’t the case until my senior year, but we finally got it done.”

Not only did Booth excel on the mound, but he also held his own at the plate. The 6-2 190-pound third baseman batted .429 with ten home runs and 49 RBI, and he says that he will continue to do both in Starkville throughout the summer and fall.

His excellence on the mound and at the plate led him to be named the Gatorade Alabama Player of the Year, an honor he never expected.

“If you would have told me before the year that I was going to win all that, I honestly probably wouldn’t have believed you,” Booth said. “It means everything to win that award; I looked up to the older guys when I was in high school and middle school and thought they were the best players in the state, and for them to not win that award and turn around four or five years later and I win that it was just surreal to me and I still haven’t fully processed that yet.”

Recruiting and signing talented players is the lifeblood for any program to sustain success, and Booth certainly fits the bill. Despite all the accolades, he is hungry to get better and put MSU back where it needs to be.

“What I look forward to most is being around great players and the process of getting better each day and trying to make our way to Omaha eventually,” Booth said.

Three Bulldogs Earn Spots on NCBWA All-America Teams (si.com)