Climate Change Weekly #113
Global warming activists claim this November was the warmest on record, yet NASA and NOAA satellite data show temperatures were only modestly warmer than average. The discrepancy highlights global warming activists’ desire to have not only their own opinions, but their own facts as well.
NASA satellite instruments report November 2013 was merely the ninth warmest since 1979, when NASA satellites first began uniformly measuring Earth’s atmospheric temperatures. Microwave sounders aboard NOAA satellites report November 2013 was merely the 16th warmest since 1979.
The NASA and NOAA satellite instruments differ in the fine details of how they determine global temperatures. NASA satellite instruments, for example, report average temperatures in atmospheric layers while NOAA satellite instruments measure temperatures at specific levels. The NASA and NOAA satellite instruments each measure temperatures precisely and globally, and they each show temperatures warming more slowly than the warming claimed by overseers of NASA and NOAA’s surface temperature reports.
The NASA and NOAA surface temperature reports claim a more pronounced warming trend even though the surface temperature measurements themselves show only modest warming. Global warming activists who oversee the surface temperature data employ a variety of means to lower historical temperature readings below the raw measurements while raising recent and current temperatures above the raw measurements. The result is a manufactured rapid warming trend that defies the satellite data and the raw surface temperature data.
Steve Goddard’s Real Science website shows the satellite temperature reports for November 2013 compared to alarmist claims that November 2013 was the warmest November on record.
SOURCE: Real Science
IN THIS ISSUE
Suspect Russian ‘hotspot’ affects November temperature claims … Gore Effect becoming the Kerry Effect? … Understanding the usefulness and traps of computer models … Sea-level rise put in proper perspective … Slate calls penguins ‘mammals’ while criticizing Heartland science
SUSPECT RUSSIAN ‘HOTSPOT’ AFFECTS NOVEMBER TEMPERATURE CLAIMS
Claims that November 2013 was the warmest November on record rely on very suspect temperature data for Russia. Satellite temperature readings for Russia show November 2013 was warmer than usual, but the global warming alarmists who produce the NOAA temperature reports amplified the Russian warming far beyond the satellite temperature readings. Without the temperature amplification, November 2013 would have been much less remarkable.
SOURCE: Watts Up With That?
GORE EFFECT BECOMING THE KERRY EFFECT?
The Gore Effect, whereby snow and/or cold temperatures follow Al Gore seemingly every time he travels to give a public speech, appears to apply to alarmist U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, also. Kerry has called global warming the biggest threat facing the planet and a national security risk at least as dangerous as Iran’s pursuit of nuclear weapons. More than a foot of snow fell in Jerusalem as Kerry visited Israel this week, delaying Kerry’s motorcade for hours as he tried to reach the airport to return home.
SOURCE: Times of Israel
UNDERSTANDING THE USEFULNESS AND TRAPS OF COMPUTER MODELS
Climate scientist Judith Curry has posted on her website excerpts from a very interesting article on the usefulness and shortcomings of computer models, especially regarding climate predictions. The article, published in aeon magazine, reminds readers that climate change models rely on key climate assumptions that are not very well understood. While a computer simulation may add an apparent weight of authority to a prediction, the prediction and the supporting computer simulation are only as authoritative as their underlying assumptions.
SOURCE: Climate Etc.“>
SEA LEVEL RISE PUT IN PROPER PERSPECTIVE
SLATE CALLS PENGUINS ‘MAMMALS’ WHILE CRITICIZING HEARTLAND SCIENCE
On the same day the leftist website Slate published an article criticizing The Heartland Institute for alleged scientific shortcomings, Slate published an article describing penguins as “mammals.” Slate criticized The Heartland Institute for calling attention to a survey of American Meteorological Society meteorologists showing only 52 percent believe global warming is occurring and humans are the primary cause. On the same day, Slate described the penguin as a “universally beloved waddling mammal.”
SOURCE: Environment & Climate News
