With snow along the coast, thunderstorms in the valleys, and hail in the Cascade foothills, the weather has been wild. And people across Portland – from PSU, to downtown, and to Waterfront Park - are wondering why.

Believe it or not, it’s somewhat normal to see unusual weather this time of year. Dr. Andrew Fountain, a professor at Portland State University, studies long-term weather trends as part of his research. He said the weather can be especially volatile when the seasons are changing – just like they are right now.

“These times of transition between our two main seasons, winter and summer, are often turbulent and just wild,” said Fountain.

But what does the cold blast say about climate change? Fountain says before you can answer that question, you need to know the difference between weather and climate. He says “weather changes on a day-to-day, month-to-month basis, whereas climate tends to be a more long-term view.”

Fountain says that even though the weather is cold right now, the climate – that long-term trend – is still very clear. The earth keeps warming. “We’re still seeing long-term increases in our temperatures,” said Fountain.