Climate confusion

Snow storms and cold spells on the East coast have deniers like Donald Trump and other prominent Republicans all fired up. Despite the indisputable trend to a steadily warmer globe overall, certain places will still be cold at times, and, of course, there will be snow. Exactly because of a warmer globe, there will be more snow in those places that are still cold. It is very simple. The warmer the weather, the more water will evaporate from oceans and lakes. When the atmosphere can’t hold more evaporated water, rain will fall in warmer areas. And, yes, snow where it is still cold enough for rain to turn into snow. And because of climate change, storms will be more violent as well.

For every unusually cold area, we can point to other areas unusually hot. The previously rather cold Nordic countries are experiencing unusually warm weather, and a lack of snow on which to ski. Australia is blazing hot these days.

Observations of climate changes must be based on trends, not individual events or occurrences. Weather is not climate, and anecdotes are not statistics.

The depth of the ignorance can best be exposed by Republican talking head Erick Erickson’s Facebook entry: “The difference between people who believe in the 2nd coming of Jesus and those who believe in global warming is that Jesus will return.” Yeah, blind faith trumps solid science anytime, among some Republicans. Wonder what would happen if President Obama all of a sudden should come out and deny climate change? Actually, I think I know.