Sean Sublette is a multimedia meteorologist who holds the American Meteorological Society’s Certified Digital Meteorologist designation and is the owner of Sublette Weather and Consulting. On March 19, 2025, he met with the Sierra Club York River Group to talk about weather and climate, as well as the negative impacts of looming cuts to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the National Weather Service (NWS).

Human-caused climate change is real and scientifically indisputable, yet roughly a quarter of Americans disbelieve or dismiss it.  How is this possible?   Local climate variations (such as the recent cold snaps we had in Virginia recently) sometimes convince people that the earth is not warming, but scientists look at longer-term averages and global trends to see the real picture. Sean also described the huge influence of right-wing news outlets, social media, propaganda, and confirmation bias on reinforcing people’s incorrect beliefs in conspiracy theories or outright lies.

Some of the effects of climate change are already being felt around the world. These include: rising sea level, more frequent and more intense heat waves, heavier rains, more intense droughts, and shifting agricultural zones.

What can individuals do?  Most of all, do not despair!  You can make a difference, especially when many individuals collectively take positive steps.  Some ideas include: reduce food waste, eat less meat, change lightbulbs to LEDs, use programmable thermostats in your home, use electric vehicles and public transportation whenever possible, plant trees, get more energy-efficient appliances, and learn more about renewable energy.  Of course, voting responsible people into office (who believe in climate change and support efforts to help mitigate it) is crucial.