The Polar Vortex set record lows across a good chunk of the nation over the last several days. From Colorado to Michigan to NYC to North Carolina to Texas. In many cases, the new records blew the old ones away. Predictably, I heard many seize the opportunity to sneer at the concept of global warming. “This ought to put a stop to all the talk of global warming.”

But they are wrong. They are confusing weather and climate.

Weather, the outdoor conditions at any given time involving temperature, humidity, sunshine, wind, precipitation, etc.,  fluctuates obviously day to day and year to year.

Climate, the prevailing weather conditions (ranges and averages) in a particular area over a long period of time,  by definition, can only change slowly, and climate change, a slight shift in those long term averages, is not easily noticed. And it certainly isn’t affected by a spate of bad cold weather.

Of course, I know it was colder and snowier on average when I was kid trudging 5 miles to school across the plains of Minnesota in the heavy wind and deep snow, wondering if I would arrive or perish! Has it really changed? Or are my childhood memories suspect and merging with the stories of my grandmother? Maybe, maybe not. It is hard to detect a shift in climate.

Global warming is an increase in the overall temperature of the earth’s atmosphere and would cause climate change, which would in turn cause changes in weather averages and ranges. Global warming is another broad measure and not something that fluctuates readily or rapidly. No one can detect global warming from one location or one life time.  Measurements across the globe over time are required.

Thus, it makes no sense to diss the concept of global warming or climate change based on a cold spell, a big snow storm, or even a record cold winter.

However, the computer models do suggest that global warming, even slight increases in the overall temperature of our atmosphere, would cause more extreme weather of all types and more violent storms. Thus, the number of broken records, increasingly violent storms, and enduring droughts, regardless of whether they involve heat or cold, could easily be evidence of global warming.

Thus, today’s temperature and precipitation is weather, and comments suggesting they disprove climate change or global warming are nonsensical and can only indicate a confusion about the distinction between weather and climate.