What's up with the weather this year?

You aren't imagining it. 2011 really has been a particularly weird and wild year for weather—one of the most extreme years on record, according to NOAA. For obvious reasons, it's too early to say whether this is a fluke, or part of a trend. But it should have you concerned. Even if all of the damage this year ends up being explained by other causes, the extremes we're experiencing are similar to what's predicted in climate change models. So, even if 2011's weird weather isn't itself 100% the result of climate change, it could still be giving us an unpleasant preview. (Via Mariette DiChristina)