What Happened to Global Warming?

1 / 2
Extreme winter weather doesn’t signal a reversal in global warming trends.
Extreme winter weather doesn’t signal a reversal in global warming trends.
2 / 2
Global warming is probably the last thing on your mind when you’re shoveling a foot of snow off the driveway, but extreme cold is just another part of the trend.
Global warming is probably the last thing on your mind when you’re shoveling a foot of snow off the driveway, but extreme cold is just another part of the trend.

Brrr, it’s cold outside! Frigid temperatures and record snowfall in many areas may leave some people wondering what happened to global warming. Given the whiter-than-normal winter, is the Earth really still heating up? 

For insight, we turned to Brenda Ekwurzel, a climate science expert with the Union of Concerned Scientists, who has studied climate change for 17 years. Her research has stretched from the arid U.S. Southwest to icebreaker ship expeditions to the North Pole. She stays abreast of the latest science to help inform the public and policymakers. 

Q: Could colder temperatures and more snow be signs that global warming is not happening?

A: No singular weather event or even a colder year represents a change in global warming. Weather is the temperature or precipitation over a couple of days. Climate refers to the average temperature or weather patterns over a decade or more. Global warming occurs over a long period of time, therefore gradual shifts to a warmer climate represents global warming. One event, such as increased snowfall or a heat wave, will not significantly change the climate pattern from the last decade. You have to look at what has happened over time, not in the past month or two, to determine if there is general trend of warming.

Q: Could some extreme weather events signify a shift in climate patterns?

  • Published on Feb 27, 2008
Online Store Logo
Need Help? Call 1-800-234-3368