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Winter storm doesn't disprove climate change, despite Trump's claim. Scientists explain why.

By
Emma Li
Emma Li is a fact checker for CBS News Confirmed. She combines open-source techniques with traditional reporting to fact check misinformation and verify user-generated content. Contact Emma at emma.li@cbsnews.com.
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Emma Li

/ CBS News

President Trump cited a major winter storm forecast to impact about two-thirds of the United States as evidence to suggest that global warming does not exist, repeating a misleading claim that has been consistently debunked by climate experts.

In a on Friday, he said, "Record Cold Wave expected to hit 40 States. Rarely seen anything like it before. Could the Environmental Insurrectionists please explain — WHATEVER HAPPENED TO GLOBAL WARMING???"

Climate scientists say Mr. Trump's statement conflates short-term weather trends with long-term climate changes. 

The unusually cold air spilling into the United States is an example of weather, while climate is  an average of temperatures across the world over time that shows warm areas outweighing cold ones, according to Dr. Steven Decker, director of Rutgers University's Meteorology Undergraduate Program.

Global warming, which refers to the overall rise in global temperatures due to increased greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, is one aspect of climate change, according to the .

Heavy ice accumulations are more likely to happen when there is a considerable amount of warm air next to cold Arctic air, Dr. Daniel L. Swain, a climate scientist at the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources, told CBS News. The accumulations require a substantial amount of the atmosphere to have warmer-than-freezing temperatures to ensure that precipitation melts instead of falling as snow.

Mr. Trump has a history of repeating false claims about global warming, including in during a widespread .

"Global warming continues and has in fact been progressing at an increased rate in recent years," Swain said.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration recently 2025 as the third-warmest year since 1850. "Notably, the 10 warmest years in the 176-year record have all occurred since 2015," NOAA said in its .

Historical data from NOAA shows that the eastern U.S. has seen a winter warming trend over the past century. 

winter-temps-chart.jpg
Historical data from NOAA shows that the eastern U.S. has seen a winter warming trend over the past century. NOAA NCEI

Meanwhile, most of the western U.S. has been experiencing record-warm winter temperatures, according to a database created by the University of California, Merced.

temps-90days.jpg
Most of the western U.S. is experiencing record-warm winter temperatures, according to a database created by the University of California, Merced. Climate Toolbox/CBS News

There is evidence that warm air can weaken the polar vortex, a mass of strong winds that normally keeps frigid Arctic air locked in around the North Pole, and send outbreaks of cold air southward.

Incoming cold air from the polar vortex is expected to play a part in the winter storm continuing through the weekend. Some states have already been experiencing extreme cold temperatures and wind chills, and the plummeting temperatures will stretch as far south as Texas.

Swain also pointed out that Mr. Trump's description of this weekend's winter storm forecast was not exactly correct.  

"'Record cold wave' is an objectively inaccurate way to describe what is currently unfolding," Swain said in an email. "It is possible, however, that some locations could see record-breaking ice accumulations from this storm."

Layla Ferris contributed to this report.

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