If I hear one more right-wing idiot make a joke about global warming in the context of the current cold weather, snow, ice, etc., I may just have to scream. For the last time, people, WEATHER AND CLIMATE ARE NOT THE SAME THING!!!

It’s just as bad when people point to hot weather in support of global warming. Even the 2005 hurricane season is not proof of global warming; it’s true that, as a result of global warming, that type of busy and violent hurricane season (and worse) is much more likely, but there is no proven causal link between the two. No reputable scientist has said there is.

We are talking about statistics here. Weather (what you feel when you step outside) exhibits a high degree of statistical variability. That’s why, no matter where you go, someone will make a joke along the lines of, “If you don’t like the weather here, wait five minutes!” Hurhurhur. Weather is variable; in fact, it is chaotic, but this probably isn’t the time to explain chaos theory.

Climate, on the other hand, is the sum of weather observations over long stretches of time and large geographic areas. It is extremely stable by comparison; because of this, something as small as a 1° change is large and worrisome (and I’ve been hearing about changes on the order of 8°–10° in the next few decades).

It is perfectly consistent with global warming for certain areas to get more precipitation and possibly even cool down somewhat over time—let alone the fact that normal statistical variability accounts for big snowstorms and cold temps this winter. Scientific gadflies like Nigel Calder and Christopher Horner are having fun playing the devil’s advocate with the prevailing scientific wisdom, and well they should. There’s nothing wrong with challenging conventional wisdom—that’s how science progresses. But at the end of the day, you have to back up your challenges with proof. And I tend to think people on the eroding Alaskan islands or those studying polar bears have all the evidence they need.