Extreme cold and climate change: What's the deal?

In the past week, extreme and, in some cases, record-breaking cold has hit many parts of Canada. That comes on the heels of the hottest year on record globally. So what's going on? Is this evidence that the world isn't warming as predicted? Or is global warming somehow causing the extreme cold? Here's a closer look.

Extreme cold and climate change: What's the deal?
A woman runs in from the cold trailing a steam cloud.

In the past week, extreme and, in some cases, record-breaking cold has hit many parts of Canada. That comes on the heels of the hottest year on record globally. So what's going on? Is this evidence that the world isn't warming as predicted? Or is global warming somehow causing the extreme cold? Here's a closer look.