Yeah, This Is Global Warming in Action

Given the deep freeze engulfing much of the country, you may have heard more than one person scoffing about global warming. Jokes aside, climate change is still very real, LiveScience insists. In fact, scientists believe much of the cold weather can actually be explained by global warming. For one thing, hot air holds more moisture than cold air, which makes for more snowfall and sea ice. Plus, as the Arctic ice cap melts thanks to rising polar temperatures, it pushes Arctic air south. Even the cold air now being swirled around by the polar vortex is probably due to ocean heat that's changed the wind's pattern.

For those still skeptical, one meteorologist explains it thusly: "Weather is like one play in a football game. Climate is the history of the NFL." Despite snowstorms, winter temperatures on the whole have risen, lakes freeze later in the season, and ice is much thinner than it used to be. Plus, spring arrives up to two weeks earlier than 20 years ago. Pair that with the fact that Australia—now in its summer—just finished its hottest year on record and topped out at temperatures of 125 degrees last week, and you've got yourself some serious global warming, LiveScience notes. (More global warming stories.)