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Maybe it’s just a coincidence, but the weather in the Tidewater area seems to be staying warmer a lot longer than in years past. In late November and even in early December, we have had days that were in the high 60s and low 70s, which is not something that usually happens in the Tidewater area during this time of the year. Perhaps this is all caused by the increase in the Carbon Dioxide levels that come from the number of cars or factories that are in the area and even around the world. The amount of CO2 in the atmosphere correlates with the change in temperature that can be seen in the graph.

Other factors that can change the climate around the world include the thermohaline circulation, which is the ocean current that moves warm and cold water throughout the oceans affecting the climate in areas; another factor is known as El Nino which is a large storm the comes from a shift in the tradewinds that cause warmer water to begin to flow eastward creating a storm. This storm can cause droughts in some areas of the world while causing floods in other areas across the ocean.

Global climate change is a problem that needs attention, but it is unlikely that the climate will change enough in our lifetimes to cause problems for us or even our children. However, we do need to look at ways to reduce our impact on the world in order to stop or at least slow global climate change.