Posted on 14 April 2013 by John Hartz

SkS Highlights

Any article about climate science with the term, "hockey stick" in its title draws a lot of attention from many quarters. Dana's Real Skepticism About the New Marcott 'Hockey Stick' is no exception. In this case, most of the comments posted focus on the science, thereby producing a very interesting and informative discussion thread.

Toon of the Week

Reposted with permission of Neil Wagner.

Quote of the Week

“Rapid Arctic sea ice loss is probably the most visible indicator of global climate change; it leads to shifts in ecosystems and economic access, and potentially impacts weather throughout the northern hemisphere,” said Overland. “Increased physical understanding of rapid Arctic climate shifts and improved models are needed that give a more detailed picture and timing of what to expect so we can better prepare and adapt to such changes. Early loss of Arctic sea ice gives immediacy to the issue of climate change.”  - James Overland of NOAA’s Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory

Arctic nearly free of summer sea ice during first half of 21st century, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Apr 12, 2013

Rebuttal Articles Updated

Dana's Land Surface Warming Confirmed Independently Without Land Station Data is based on a new paper published in Geophysical Research Letters, Independent confirmation of global land warming without the use of station temperatures by Compo et al. (2013) The results of this paper have also been incorporated into the SkS rebuttal to the myth that the surface temperature record is unreliable. 

The Week in Review

• 2013 SkS Weekly News Roundup #15B by John Hartz
• Thin, Low Arctic Clouds Played an Important Role in Widespread 2012 Greenland Ice Sheet Melt by John Hartz
• 2013 SkS Weekly News Roundup #15A by John Hartz
• Further Comments on The Economist's Take on Climate Sensitivity by Dana
• The anthropogenic global warming rate: Is it steady for the last 100 years? by Dana 
• 2013 SkS News Bulletin #7: Alberta Tar Sands and Keystone XL Pipeline by John Hartz
• Real Skepticism About the New Marcott 'Hockey Stick' by Dana
• Antarctic Octopus Living Testament To Global Warming by Daniel Bailey
• Land Surface Warming Confirmed Independently Without Land Station Data by Dana

Coming Soon

• Guemas et al. Attribute Slowed Surface Warming to the Oceans(Dana)
• It’s getting hotter – despite cooling from cosmic rays (Uma Jha)
• Global Warming is Accelerating, but it's Still Groundhog Day at the Daily Mail (Rob Painting
• 2013 SkS News Roundup #16A (John Hartz)
• Global Warming: Not Reversible, But Stoppable (Andy Skuce)
• New Models Predict Dramatically Greener Arctic in the Coming Decades (John Hartz)
• 2013 SkS News Roundup #16B (John Hartz)

In the Works

• Malaria: biting into the climate change debate (Sarah Finlay-Jones)
• Weathering of rocks: guide to a long-term carbon-sink (John Mason)
• 16 Years Video Update (Kevin C)
• Forks in the road (Sarah)
• New Research Shows Humans Causing More Strong Hurricanes (Dana)
• The radiative role of clouds – which ones warm and which ones cool the Earth (jenikhollan)
• A tale told in maps and charts: Texas in the National Climate Assessment (Dana)
• New satellite confirms dramatic thinning of Arctic ice (MarkR)

SkS in the News

Dana and Michael Mann's How The Economist got it wrong was published by ABC Environment.  It was subsequently re-posted and referenced by Climate Progress, Changing more than lightbulbs,

A new study, Leading Voices in the Denier Choir: Conservative Columnists’ Dismissal of Global Warming and Denigration of Climate Science, used the SkS rebuttals database, and was discussed by Chris Mooney at Mother Jones.

Dana's New Research Confirms Global Warming Has Accelerated was referenced by John Upton at Grist and Kieran Mulvaney at Discovery News.

Peter Sinclair at Climate Crocks used some SkS material in looking at Arctic sea ice changes.

Eli Rabett referenced Dana's Real Skepticism About the New Marcott 'Hockey Stick'.

In debunking Fox News misrepresentations of Kevin Trenberth's comments, Media Matters used The Escalator and Nuccitelli et al. (2012).

Peter Gleick used some SkS graphics in looking at some iconic climate curves.

Carbon Brief used some SkS graphics and references on climate sensitivity.

David Spratt at RenewEconomy and Climate Progress also referenced Nuccitelli et al. (2012).

Weatherdem's Weblog discussed Dana's Land Surface Warming Confirmed Independently Without Land Station Data.

Hot Whopper looked at SkS' debunkings of Don Easterbrook.

SkS Spotllights

NOAA's Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory (PMEL) carries out interdisciplinary scientific investigations in oceanography and atmospheric science. Current PMEL programs focus on open ocean observations in support of long-term monitoring and prediction of the ocean environment on time scales from hours to decades. Studies are conducted to improve our understanding of the world’s oceans, to define processes driving the global climate system, and to improve environmental forecasting capabilities for public safety, marine commerce, and fisheries.

NOAA = National Oceanic and Atmsopheric Administration (U.S.)