As I write this post, the outside temperature is -2 degrees F, up a few degrees from -7. It’s pretty damn cold out. I have noticed that there aren’t many news reports talking about climate change now when it’s really cold out, nor did it come up much this summer when we had highs in the 50′s during July. Only when it’s really warm, do they blame the weather on “global warming” or “climate change”. Otherwise, it’s just cold.
Does anthropogenic climate change exist? After years of being somewhat of a skeptic on the subject, due to what I feel were some real issues with the concepts of “urban heat isles” and the non-change in the temperature of the upper atmosphere, I believe those issues have been resolved and it’s clear to me that we have had an effect on the planet’s climate. I hesitate to use the phrase “global warming”, because it’s an awfully imprecise phrase. Will all parts of the planet warm? No. Can we predict with any certainty which parts of the planet will get the warmest? Nope. We have models that make general predictions, but the actual effects can be tempered or exacerbated due to local environmental situations or unforeseen events like the Mt. Pinatuba volcanic explosion in 1991. Anthropogenic climate change, though, is real, and regardless of what your political alignment may be, you have to accept that fact. I remain skeptical of most the pronounced solutions and the overall mindset of those who are the most vocal about climate change, but that discussion will have to be for another day.
Back to my original point:
Dear “Journalists”,
Just because there is a warm spell during winter, it doesn’t mean it’s because of climate change. Just because there is a heat wave during the summer, it doesn’t mean it’s because of climate change. Report the weather how it is, and when we have events outside the average, do some actual work and explain how, if at all, it could relate to climate change, hot or cold, wet or dry. There is a great disservice to the country and the world, by only reporting on climate change with a thin veneer of research.
Thank you for reading, now back to the subzero temperatures.
