The weather, and climate, are in the news a lot these days. With Weather-Channel-named storms racing across the West, and politicians talking climate change, it gets difficult to understand just what's going on. Montana State University Extension has created a new guide — as part of its MontGuide series — with information you can use to help explain, and understand, weather and climate.

The four-color guide, available online, explains the difference between weather and climate. It also is filled with definitions of weather and climate, looks at the difference between weather forecasting and climate projections, and it defines the greenhouse effect and how it's changed.

Adds Brad Bauer, MSU Extension natural resources agent, Gallatin County: "We are excited to offer this new guide that gives Montanans the background to understand an important topic to us all." Bauer is a co-author of the MontGuide, which has been named Climate Science 101.

Fabian Menalled, MSU cropland weed Extension specialist, and another co-author of the guide, says there are several misconceptions related to weather and climate. "We wrote this MontGuide to provide Montana citizens with easy-to-access, science-based information on a relevant topic," he says. "We hope the information presented will help everyone in Montana understand the causes and implications of climate change."

You can download the guide from Montana Extension at store.msuextension.org/publications/AgandNaturalResources/mt201614AG.pdf.