Why is it so cold outside when the climate is warming? » Yale Climate Connections

Transcript:

Winter storms can bring icy winds, frigid temperatures, and heavy snow – even to parts of the U.S. that rarely see such extreme winter weather.

These blustery winter storms prompt some people to ask: What happened to global warming?

But cold and snowy days will still occur, even as the climate warms.

Over the past few decades, average winter temperatures have been rising across the U.S., and many places are experiencing fewer cold days. But the weather in any given location varies from day to day, so you can still expect extreme cold at times.

And although it sounds counterintuitive, global warming can even cause unusually cold and snowy weather.

Warmer temperatures can weaken the polar jet stream, a belt of high wind that circles the globe below the Arctic.

A weaker jet stream can move erratically, pushing frigid air from the Arctic down to the continental U.S., causing extremely cold conditions.

Warmer temperatures also evaporate more water into the atmosphere. And when it gets cold, all that atmospheric moisture can then fall as heavy snow.

So don’t get rid of your heavy parka and snow boots. You’ll still experience some cold, wintry weather – even in a warmer world.

Reporting credit: Ethan Freedman / ChavoBart Digital Media