Dear Tom,
Back in the 1970s there was talk of the next ice age, and now we hear about global warming. Which is it?
Gregory Stachnik, Carol Stream
Dear Gregory,
It is difficult to assess extreme weather objectively when we’re experiencing it. That undoubtedly shaded our perspective during the years from 1975 to 1985, a period characterized by exceptionally harsh winters here and across much of the United States. As you indicated, speculation about an approaching ice age was rampant. And now, two decades later, the central issue is global warming.
But it’s different this time. Whereas the ice-age scenario of the 1970s and 1980s was speculation unsupported by a broad base of climatic knowledge, global warming is a concept supported by direct observation, by theory and by most of the world’s scientific community.
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Tom Skilling is chief meteorologist at WGN-TV. His forecasts can be seen Monday through Friday on WGN-TV News at noon and 9 p.m.
Write to: ASK TOM WHY, 2501 Bradley Pl., Chicago, IL 60618 or asktomwhy@wgntv.com (Mail volume precludes personal response.)
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