In following this controversy, I have noted that AGW seems to explain:
-colder than normal winters
-warmer than normal winters
-colder than normal summers
-warmer than normal summers
-wetter than normal weather
-dryer than normal wealther
-fewer than normal hurricanes (although it predicted more hurricanes)
-drought in Autralia
-floods in Australia
-melting Antarctic ice
-growing Antarctic ice
-melting glaciers
-growing glaciers
Given the track record, how could anyone doubt AGW?:smack:
It did not predict many of these. For instance, it did not predict colder than normal winters – it predicted more winter storms because more water would be in the atmosphere.
And the winters have consistently been warmer – December this year was warmer than usual. A cold stretch in January no more disproves things than a hot stretch in August proves it. I do know that 30 years ago, we routinely had several days a year where the temperature fell below zero. In the past five years, this has happened just once. The trend is clear.
Some of these “predictions” were made by global warming opponents, even though the scientists never said any such thing. Some are taking one incident out of context (“This one glacier is growing.” “But hundreds of others are shrinking.” “Na na na na. I don’t hear you.”) and saying it refutes things. Global warming never said winters wouldn’t be cold – just that the average temperature over time will increase.
The fact is that the CO2 levels are rising, and the average temperature is also rising. No one can predict all the results of this, and some predictions may be wrong. Science isn’t religion; the actual results of these changes can’t be predicted 100%. But that doesn’t change the facts, and the results of the rising CO2 is unlikely to be a good thing.
Those things are not evidence for global warming. I think the point is that they are not evidence against global warming, as a lot of people seem to think.
Wait, you have noted that AGW seems to explain…
Do you mean that scientists have said these things? That you think AGW explains it? Something else?
I’m pretty sure it doesn’t explain Lady Gaga.
Nor does it explain why random socks seem to disappear every time I do a load of laundry, unless this phenomenon is somehow related to rising atmospheric CO2 levels.
Anyway, if the OP actually believes that AGW theory explains ‘colder than normal winters’ the problem is more that the OP apparently only knows a few things he sort of half-heard about said theory, rather than any probelms with the theory itself.
Indeed, the OP is a great example of not doing any effort on tracking what the sources actually said, people like that are easy to mislead.
Some of these things follow each other.
For instance a record ice coverage melt in summer will mean a record ice coverage in the following winter as theres more area to cover - but the ice may be thinner.
Drought or flood can depend on wind direction, so wind into Australia and increased heat = more rain from ocean, wind offshore from Australia and more heat = drought. You get deserts in some parts of the world and tropical forests in others for these kinds of reasons.
Global warming can mean very different things locally, and over time.
Do you mean the ultimate answer to the ultimate question of life, the universe, and everything?
No.
No, Global Warming does not explain everything. Rush Limbaugh does. I see you’ve learned that lesson, at least.
Increased heat retention courtesy of elevated atmospheric levels of CO2 (and thus also of water vapour) increases the amount of energy sloshing around the world. What was not originally appreciated was that this does not strictly translate to increased heat everywhere all the time; it’s now clear that what it does mean is more extreme weather events (in all directions) in the context of a generally warming climate. This is one reason why the phenomenon is more correctly known as Anthropogenic Climate Change (ACC) now.