Over the past century, climatic conditions have run from cool in the 1900s to warm in the '30s to cool in the '60s to warm in the '80s (scroll the time line above), and many of us have come to believe that mankind has been responsible for the swings. A declining number of scientists blame us for generating warming greenhouse gases, then polluting the air with sun-blocking particulates, and raising temperatures through urbanization, deforestation, and greenhouse gases.

There is another possible explanation for—or, at least, influence on—climate change. This involves natural factors, most notably the Sun and Earth's oceans. We at the Almanac are among those who believe that sunspot cycles and their effects on oceans correlate with climate changes. Studying these and other factors suggests that a cold, not warm, climate may be in our future.

Joseph D'Aleo has more than 35 years experience in professional meteorology. He was the first director of meteorology and co-founder of the cable TV Weather Channel. He was chief meteorologist at Weather Services International Corporation and senior editor for WSI’s popular Intellicast.com Web site. He is a former college professor of meteorology at Lyndon State College. He is the author of a Resource Guide on El Nino and La Nina.

D’Aleo has frequently written about and made presentations on how research into ENSO and other atmospheric and oceanic phenomena has made skillful seasonal forecasts possible as well as the roles cycles in the sun and oceans have played in climate change.