Climate and Extreme Weather

CBS reports that President Donald Trump, citing an impending 'record cold wave' winter storm expected to hit roughly two‑thirds of the United States, again mocked global warming on Truth Social and asked 'WHATEVER HAPPENED TO GLOBAL WARMING???' Climate scientists interviewed by CBS say he is conflating short‑term weather with long‑term climate trends, noting that global warming refers to the decades‑long rise in average global temperatures driven by greenhouse gases, not day‑to‑day cold snaps. Experts including Rutgers meteorologist Steven Decker and UC climate scientist Daniel Swain explain that heavy ice from this storm actually depends on layers of warmer‑than‑freezing air overrunning Arctic air, and that disruptions of the polar vortex can send frigid air south even as the planet overall warms. The piece cites new NOAA data ranking 2025 as the third‑warmest year since 1850 and confirming that the 10 warmest years on record have all occurred since 2015, with long‑term records showing winter warming in the eastern U.S. and record‑warm winters across much of the West. The article underscores how Trump’s framing, which he has used in past cold waves, conflicts with the scientific consensus and current federal climate observations at a moment when his administration is reshaping energy and climate policy.