What term describes long-term shifts in temperatures and weather patterns?

The term that describes long-term shifts in temperatures and weather patterns is climate change. This concept encompasses not just rising temperatures but also the various changes in precipitation patterns, sea levels, and extreme weather events that may occur over extended periods, typically spanning decades to centuries. Climate change reflects the broader and more comprehensive alterations in the climate system, which can result from both natural processes and human influences, such as greenhouse gas emissions.

In contrast, global warming specifically refers to the increase in Earth's average surface temperature due to human activities, mainly the burning of fossil fuels. While it is a significant component of climate change, it does not fully capture the range of changes that can occur in weather patterns over the long term.

Weather variability describes the short-term fluctuations in weather conditions, which can happen on a daily or seasonal basis. This term does not pertain to the long-term trends associated with climate change.

Seasonal change refers to the natural shifts in climate and weather that occur with the changing seasons, which is a temporary phenomenon and not indicative of longer-term climate trends.