2008 Coldest Year of the Decade but 10th Hottest on Record
10 December 2008
Here we go again, every time winter comes around all the climate change denialists start hyping about how it’s cold now so global warming must be over. Unfortunately, the title of the Guardian’s story “2008 will be coolest year of the decade” is not going to help.
Well, if the Guardian says 2008 will be the coldest year of the decade that must mean global warming is over, right? Wrong. Despite what denialists say, 2008 may have been the coldest this decade, but it was also the 10th hottest year on record and saw the second largest Arctic melt season ever, which makes it just another year in a solid trend of global warming.
The article clearly explains that this is a predicted blip in a long-term warming trend largely due to the influence of the La Nina and a solar low over the year. It also says.. (emphasis added)
Assuming the final figure is close to 14.3C then 2008 will be the tenth hottest year on record. The hottest was 1998 – which included a very strong El Niño event – followed by 2005, 2003 and 2002.
Global Air Temperatures From 1960-2008
So, this decade has seen a continuation of the record high trends for global temperature, it was just that in 2008 things were a little cooler thanks to the La Nina and low solar activity.
Even so, that didn’t help the Arctic much. As NASA reported in early October, 2008 saw the second lowest sea-ice extent and likely the lowest volume in the history of satellite measurements, despite being the coolest year of the decade!
The NASA Earth Observatory press release had a statement from National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) research scientist Julienne Stroeve.
“I find it incredible that we came so close to beating the 2007 record [in 2008], without the especially warm and clear conditions we saw last summer,” said Stroeve. “I hate to think what 2008 might have looked like if the weather patterns had set up in a more extreme way.”
Are the deniers ready to “explain” what happens when things start to heat up again with the next El Nino and increased solar activity predicted within 5 years?
Entry Filed under: Climate Change. Tags: Arctic, Climate Change, Climate Chaos, CO2 emissions, GHGs, Global Warming.
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1.
seel | 23 December 2008 at 10:10 am
It is not the 10th warmest on record, the record is older than 1960!
This is off of the NOAA website:
For example, Alaska has experienced significant warming over the past 30 years, with average wintertime temperatures about 6 degrees warmer now than in the 1960’s. In contrast, northeastern Canada has experienced a cooling trend over the same period. Such changes may be part of natural processes, but recent studies have shown links between the build-up of greenhouse gases and the changes, both warming and cooling, observed in the Arctic. Yet, there was a period of warming in Alaska in the 1920-1940 period that was less likely to have been caused by greenhouse gases.
Just a natural occurance!
2.
Luke | 23 December 2008 at 12:37 pm
seel>
For the hundred-millionth time, check your facts and stop writing junk on informed websites. Who is paying you to try and twist simple facts like that?
Climate change is real, it is happening now, it is human-made and we have to act NOW to stop it.
Anyone who doesn’t want to believe these simple and pure facts may as well go and live with Peter Pan cause they clearly can’t read and they’re obviously on drugs.
3.
Bob | 7 January 2009 at 5:20 am
The theory of man made global warming scares me, not because of the potential consequences, but because of the cult following it has complete disrespect for anyone who doesn’t drink the same cool aid. This site is yet another example of a religion which doesn’t allow for dissent. The constant drumbeat of personal attacks lodged at any reasonable person who disagrees speaks for itself.
There are now over 700 reputable scientists who recently joined the skeptic side of this debate (science should welcome skeptics, btw) and I wouldn’t be so naive to just brush them off as friends of Peter Pan.
And why won’t Al Gore debate? Seems this issue is more about money raising than anything. Yes, I care about the environment, but I am not blinded by an agenda which keeps me from the understanding that the earth has been warming and cooling for millions of years. Even Mars and Saturn are warming and the last time I checked, there weren’t any humans there.
I appreciate the “facts” you present to the argument, but there is nothing in this article that proves that humans are responsible. THAT is the essence of the debate, and yes, there is a debate. Don’t be afraid of it.
4.
Bob | 13 January 2009 at 11:21 am
intelligent article and quotes from scientists, not environmental activists:
http://townhall.com/columnists/WalterEWilliams/2008/12/24/global_warming_rope-a-dope