Dr. Christy: Heatwave not what "Global Warming Looks Like" Rather what "Mother Nature Looks Like"

Dr. John Christy, Alabama's State Climatologist, Professor of Atmospheric Science and Director of the Earth System Science Center at the University of Alabama in Huntsville testified before the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works hearing on global warming and stated:

"During the heat wave of late June and early July, high temperature extremes became newsworthy. Claims that there were thousands of records broken each day and that "this is what global warming looks like" got a lot of attention.

However, these headlines were not based on climate science. As shown in Figure 1.3 of my testimony it is scientifically more accurate to say that this is what Mother Nature looks like, since events even worse than these have happened in the past before greenhouse gases were increasing like they are today.

Now, it gives some people great comfort to offer a quick and easy answer when the weather strays from the average rather than to struggle with the real truth, which is, we don't know enough about the climate to even predict events like this.

A climatologist looking at this heat wave would not be alarmed because the number of daily high temperature records set in the most recent decade was only about half the number set in the 1930s as shown in my written testimony. I suppose most people have forgotten that Oklahoma set a new record low temperature just last year of 31 below. And in the past two years, towns from Alaska to my home state of California established records for snowfall. The recent anomalous weather can't be blamed on carbon dioxide.

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[justintempler]

Sounds like you have idiots for teachers. The chart Christy showed is the CMIP5 climate models and it is accurate to say that their predictions fail miserably. And just yesterday NOAA released a study that confirms that last years droughts can NOT be blamed on global warming.

[Susan Warner]

This video was used in my college class as a scary example of idiots in politics. So if you're watching this and taking what he says as a source of relief to Climate Change and Global Warming - I'd do some more research.

[Yvonne Harwood]

Those people who subscribe to the theory of anthropogenic global warming seem to assume that before industrialisation such a thing as a 'normal' and 'stable' climate existed.

They do not seem to understand that there is no such thing as an 'optimal climate' in precisely the same way as there is no such thing as a 'normal' or standard' climate.

[Dodger481]

I wouldn't count on it, The latest data from 2012 still shows an increase. That may change but I doubt it, average temperature is but one of many factors that contribute to ice formation.

[funkydunky29]

The article you posted on the Forbes site had no citations or references. The only link on the webpage which led to a real link was an NPR article discussing the warming trend Antarctica is experiencing. Im not confused. The most recent research published in the journal Geoscience states that "an increase of 2.4C in average annual temperature between 1958 and 2010" has been observed in Antarctica. The sea-ice increase is over. Cheers.

[Dodger481]

The Antarctic has been increasing sea ice at a rate of 1% per year for the past 30 years. If there has been an increase in warming it must be very recent as the satellite data still shows increasing sea ice. I have no ide what you are talking about in regards to "an article I posted showing warming" you must be confusing who you are talking to. cheers.

[funkydunky29]

If you dont believe in climate change and global warming, how do you explain the new shipping lane in the arctic ocean? Until a few years ago this northern passage was frozen; now its open to shipping every summer. Your own article stated that Antarctica is experiencing a sharp warming trend. Did you even read the article you posted?

[Dodger481]

Lol, sure keep your head in the sand, just make sure to repeat your claims as much as possible and ignore the confused looks you get.

[funkydunky29]

The only link in your website that links to a cited webpage is a link to an NPR page which clearly states that Antarctica is experiencing a "sharp warming trend" which hasnt happened for 500 years. Nowhere does this article state that Antarctic ice sheets are growing.