Climate includes patterns of temperature, precipitation, humidity, wind and seasons. "Climate change" affects more than just a change in the weather, it refers to seasonal changes over a long period of time. Below are state and national resources regarding climate change research, programs and policies:

• NASA- Global Climate Change: Vital Signs of the Planet
   
• ClimateKids
   
• U.S. Global Change Research Program - The U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP) is a federal program mandated by Congress to coordinate federal research and investments in understanding the forces shaping the global environment, both human and natural, and their impacts on society. The website provides a wealth of information, including:
  
  
  • Climate Science Special Reports and Research Plans
  • Just released: The fourth National Climate Assessment Volume II
     

• The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is the United Nations body for assessing the science related to climate change. 

• The Washington State Department of Ecology's webpage on Climate Change programs and policies.
   
• The United States Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Climate Change indicators webpage.