On February 18, Senior ECPA Fellow, Mathias Vuille, an atmospheric science professor at University at Albany State University of New York – SUNY, shared with CBS News his opinion on climate change and severe weather conditions in the Northeast of the United States. He reminded viewers that, in order to look at the big picture, it is important to understand climate change isn’t just global warming.

“Climate change can actually lead to more frequent snow storms. For example if temperatures get a little bit warmer, there is more water vapor in the air, but it is still cold enough to snow; we get these unusual snow storms that we have seen the last couple of years.” Vuille’s scientific explanation supports US President Obama’s call for awareness: “We can choose to believe that super storm Sandy, the most severe drought in decades and the worst wild fires in decades were just a freak coincidence, or we can choose to believe the science.”