The Sky’s Outfit: Weather vs. Climate Explained for Kids

"Look, Nimbus!" Casey cried. "I was going to wear my favorite sun hat today, but the sky had other plans."

Casey reached for her bright yellow raincoat and her clunky purple boots. "What is weather?" Casey asked her Dad.

"Weather is what is happening right now," Dad said, handing her an umbrella. "It’s the sky's outfit of the day. Sometimes the sky wears a sunny t-shirt, and sometimes it puts on a rainy coat."

"But Dad," Casey asked, "if I’m wearing my raincoat today, does that mean I’m a 'Rainy Girl' forever?"

Dad laughed. "Of course not! Look at your closet. You have woolly mittens for winter, breezy shorts for summer, and a light sweater for spring. Your closet is your climate."

Climate is the collection of all the outfits you own. It’s the story of what usually happens in your town over a very, very long time.

One morning, the ground was covered in white, fluffy snow. Casey was shivering. "I heard on the news that the Earth is getting warmer," Casey said. "But if the Earth is warming, why is it snowing today?"

"Remember the closet, Casey," Dad explained. "One snowy day is just an outfit. Even in a place that is getting warmer, the sky still likes to wear its 'Snowy Tuxedo' once in a while."

"Global warming doesn't mean it will never be cold again. It means that when we look in the Earth's closet, we see more and more 'Heat-Wave Shorts' and fewer and fewer 'Snowy Parkas' every year."

"Why is the Earth picking out warmer clothes?" Casey wondered.

"Well," Dad said, "it’s because of the Invisible Blanket (some people call it the Greenhouse Effect). When we burn things like oil and coal to power our cars and lights, we add 'extra fuzz' to the Earth's atmosphere."

This blanket traps heat. It makes the "room" (our planet) a little stuffier, which forces the sky to change its wardrobe.

When the Earth’s climate changes, everyone has to change their outfits. The Ocean gets a bit warmer, and the ice at the North Pole starts to melt.

The animals have to find new places to live because their "closet" doesn't have the right clothes for them anymore.

"Can we help the Earth pick better outfits?" Casey asked.

"Absolutely!" said Dad. "By using Power from the Planet and taking care of our Super Soil, we can stop adding 'extra fuzz' to the blanket."

We can keep the Earth’s closet just right—so there’s always room for a snowy tuxedo and a summer sun hat.