This weeks's weather is normal

It's irrational to deny global warming, but it's an unhelpful distraction at best or an error at worst to ascribe this or that occurrence in daily weather to global warming -- whether in jest or in a serious scientific forum. Short-term weather has always had wide swings of cold, heat, dry, wet, calm, and storm. Variability, even exceptional or extreme variability, is just the nature of weather. It's interesting that yesterday's 86 mph wind gust at RDU was an all-time record, hurricanes notwithstanding, but it's merely interesting.

The world still has people who deny global warming. There are people who admit global warming but disclaim its anthroprogenicity. There are people who admit anthropogenicity -- at least to themselves -- but either (a) are so wedded to their wealth and lifestyle that they are unwilling to make any sacrifices, (b) are so desirous of the wealth and lifestyles of others that they want the same for themselves regardless of the consequences, (c) have no idea what to do about global warming, or (d) live for today not tomorrow. It takes continued, rational effort to get all these folks to see things differently. Keeping the debate about global warming sharply defined and free of unnecessary complications is still important.

One would hope that increases in ocean levels and ocean acidity would be sufficient to generate pressure for change -- without worrying about tomorrow's weather or overanalyzing yesterday's.