Highest Rated Comments


BoM_Met14 karma

There is a slew of evidence this isn't just natural variability. If it is natural variability it still needs a trigger.

In the past, differing solar output has been one natural trigger. Solar output in the last 30 years has actually gone down, while global temperatures continue to rise, so we know this cannot be the case this time. Also, if increased solar output were to blame, we'd expect all layers of the atmosphere to be warming. In reality, only the troposphere is warming (where greenhouse gases are mostly found), while the temperature in the stratosphere is actually decreasing.

Additionally, the rate of change of temperature in the last 100, and particualrly the last 50 years is unprecedented throughout human history, and is consistent with the observed rise of greenhouse gases, in particular CO2, in the atmosphere.

BoM_Met8 karma

Tornadoes can actually spin either way in either hemisphere, as they are on far too small a scale to be affected by the coriolis force.

BoM_Met8 karma

Sure. Done. http://imgur.com/Qzj5xo2. Is that ok?

BoM_Met5 karma

I'd like to get a campaign started, but I'd have to brainstorm some ideas for that. If we can get something as big as the ice bucket challenge spreading through social media, the impact could indeed be profound. Does anyone have any idea?

The best way to educate those who are skeptical is by knowing the facts, knowing the arguments against those they are likely to throw at you, and explaining these arguments to them clearly and calmly. It's also important to let them know the potential impacts for our generation and future generations to come. Even if we switch to a 0 Carbon system now, some of these impacts are already inevitable. That scares me.

BoM_Met3 karma

We changed the readings on two stations in Australia, and we had reasons for it. This isn't going to affect the overall temperature trend in Australia in any way. We're scientists, we aren't out to cook data, we don't have any kind of ulterior motive here. Our only goal is accurate and scientific analysis of the climate and weather.

Skeptics of course don't mention the fact that, when calculating temperature trends in Australia, we revise many of our urban observations down, in order to account for the urban heat island affect.