In this episode of War Against Weeds, hosts Alyssa Essman and Joe Ikley sit down with Melissa Widhalm, Associate Director and Regional Climatologist at the Midwestern Regional Climate Center (MRCC). Melissa introduces WEST — the Weed Emergence Scouting Tool — an experimental, temperature‑based system designed to predict first and peak emergence of key weeds like giant ragweed and waterhemp across the Midwest.