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What’s The Difference Between Climate And Weather?

Many people, when trying to grapple with global warming are confused by the distinction between climate and weather. A great cartoon by Ole Christoffer Haga shows in simple terms how measurements of global temperatures record natural variability about a long-term trend. A dog meanders on a leash, held by his owner who is walking on a direct and slowly advancing path:

Importantly, this video shows the physical reality that climate isn’t just the average of random weather events. Like the owner of the dog, climate is a fixed system that limits the wanderings of weather. As we change the climate system with greenhouse gases, the owner moves in predictable ways, changing where the dog can wander.

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