Want to understand climate change? Look to the clouds.

Scientists are still uncovering the role clouds play in climate change

Clouds in blue sky.
Clouds can both trap heat and reflect light
(Image credit: pongnathee kluaythong / Getty Images)

Scientists have long debated the role of clouds in climate change, with some arguing that they would make temperatures warmer while others arguing they might help cool the atmosphere. This is because clouds can both reflect sunlight and trap heat. “We have a really tough time simulating with any fidelity how clouds actually behave in the real world,” Timothy Myers, an atmospheric scientist at the University of Colorado, Boulder, told The Washington Post. However, experts have begun to uncover the influence clouds have on the climate. 

How do clouds affect the climate?

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Devika Rao, The Week US

 Devika Rao has worked as a staff writer at The Week since 2022, covering science, the environment, climate and business. She previously worked as a policy associate for a nonprofit organization advocating for environmental action from a business perspective.