ABC News:
It was expected to reach into the 70s today in New York City. Cherry blossoms were blooming in Washington, D.C.
Is there a connection between the January heat wave that is sweeping the East Coast and man-made global warming?
Scientists say yes — in this way: What they know for sure is the warm winter fits the pattern, exactly, that has long been predicted for manmade global warming of more and more frequent unseasonable warm spells.
While there were freak weather events like this in the past, even before the Industrial Age started pumping out more greenhouse gases, they were rare.
But in recent decades they have increased.
"Aha!" some climate change denier is saying, "How does that explain the snowstorms in the west?" Let me introduce you with a phrase everyone up in the nothern parts of North America has heard more than once, "It's too cold to snow."
But these changes are not limited to just warm weather. Colorado's third big snowfall in a month also fits a pattern long predicted for global warming.
The warmer the air, the more moisture it can hold, which leads to heavier precipitation of rain or snow.
In fact, temperatures in Colorado are actually above average, despite the heavy snowfalls.
Tags: news | politics | weather | science | global warming | international
