“It's freezing today — so much for global warming.” It's a common jab, and it rests on confusing two different things: weather and climate. We untangle them, explain why one is predictable only days ahead while the other can be projected decades out, and show why a cold snap tells you nothing about long-term warming — using an analogy about a dog on a lead that you'll never forget.

You'll come away understanding what separates weather from climate, why chaos limits forecasts, how scientists can be uncertain about tomorrow yet confident about 2070, and why this distinction is one of the most abused ideas in public debate.

Talking Science is sponsored by Kinsoft. Visit www.kinsoft.com.au

Further reading: Bureau of Meteorology “Understanding climate” pa ...