Climate Change Impacts in New Jersey

Global climate change

the term used to describe altered global weather patterns, especially a worldwide increase in temperature and resulting changes in the climate, due largely to rising levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide.

Climate

refers to the long-term, predictable atmospheric conditions of a specific area. The climate of a biome is characterized by having consistent seasonal temperature and rainfall ranges. Climate does not address the amount of rain that fell on one particular day in a biome or the colder-than-average temperatures that occurred on one day.

Weather

refers to the conditions of the atmosphere during a short period of time. Weather forecasts are usually made for 48-hour cycles. Long-range weather forecasts are available but can be unreliable.

greenhouse effect

the warming of Earth due to carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.