Posted on 16 August 2020 by John Hartz

Story of the Week...

Going, Going ... Gone: Greenland’s Melting Ice Sheet Passed a Point of No Return in the Early 2000s

A new study finds that the accelerating retreat and thinning of Greenland’s glaciers that began 20 year ago is speeding the ice sheet toward total meltdown.

Water from the Greenland ice sheet flows through heather and peat during unseasonably warm weather on Aug. 1, 2019. Credit: Sean Gallup/Getty Images 

The Greenland Ice Sheet managed to withstand the warming brought by the first 150 years of the industrial age, with enough snow piling up each winter to balance the ice lost to spring and summer melting. But, according to a new study, that all changed 20 years ago.

Starting in 2000, Greenland's glaciers suddenly began moving faster, their snouts rapidly retreating and thinning where they flow into the sea. Between 2000 and 2005, that acceleration led to an all-but irreversible "step-increase" of ice loss, scientists concluded in the new research, published this week in the journal Nature Communications Earth & Environment.

If the climate were to stop warming today, or even cool a little, Greenland's ice will continue to melt, said Ohio State University Earth scientist Ian Howat, co-author of the research paper. "Glacier retreat has knocked the dynamics of the whole ice sheet into a constant state of loss," he said. "Even if we were to stabilize at current temperatures, the ice will continue to disintegrate more quickly than if we hadn't messed with the climate to begin with."

Click here to acces the entire article originally posted on the InsideClimate New website.

Going, Going ... Gone: Greenland’s Melting Ice Sheet Passed a Point of No Return in the Early 2000s by Bob Berwyn, InsideClimate News, Aug 15, 2020

El Niño/La Niña Update...

La Niña Watch increases one month before peak hurricane season

Typical conditions for La Nina in summer

Forecasters are now calling for an increased chance of La Niña this autumn, which could enhance an already overly active hurricane season.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), issued a La Niña Watch in July. Now, the agency has issued an update further showing their confidence that La Niña could form this autumn.

"The La Niña Watch that was issued back in July has now increased to 60% for this fall," says Haley Brink, CNN meteorologist. "When a La Niña Watch is issued that means that conditions are favorable for development within the next six months. An advisory can then be issued once La Niña conditions are observed."

Click here to access the entire article originally posted on CNN.

La Niña Watch increases one month before peak hurricane season by Allison Chinchar, CNN, Aug 16, 2020

Toon of the Week...

Hat tip to the Stop Climate Science Denial Facebook page.

Coming Soon on SkS...

• Scientists remember 'Koni' Steffen, glaciologist who died after fall into crevasse in Greenland (Bud Ward)
• Scientists seek to collect ice core samples before glaciers and ice sheets melt (Kristen Pope)
• SkS New Research for Week #33 (Doug Bostrom)
• Siberia’s 2020 heatwave made ‘600 times more likely’ by climate change (Daisy Dunne)
• Will Fusion Power solve Climate Change? (Climate Adam)
• 2020 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #34 (John Hartz)
• 2020 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming Digest #34 (John Hartz)

Climate Feedback Claim Review...

The long-term survival of polar bears is threatened by loss of sea-ice due to global warming, new study confirms

CLAIM: "Global warming is driving polar bears toward extinction"

VERDICT: 

SOURCE: Global Warming Is Driving Polar Bears Toward Extinction, Researchers Say by Henry Fountain, Climate, New York Times, July 20, 2020

KEY TAKE AWAY: Sea-ice loss due to global warming is the most important threat to long-term survival and reproduction of polar bears. Under a high greenhouse gas emissions scenario, all but a few polar bear subpopulations are at risk of extinction by 2100. In the moderate greenhouse gas emissions scenario, some polar bear subpopulations could persist through the century.

Click here to access the entire article originally posted on the Climate Feedback website.

The long-term survival of polar bears is threatened by loss of sea-ice due to global warming, new study confirms, Edited by Nikki Forrester, Climate Feedback, July 27, 2020

SkS Week in Review... 

• Sun: 2020 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming Digest #32  by John Hartz (SkS Original)
• Mon: Cranky Uncle cartoons available as PPT slides by John Cook (SkS Original)
• Tue: Scientists discover new ‘human fingerprint’ on global drought patterns by Daisy Cooper (Carbon Brief Original)
• Wed: Skeptical Science New Research for Week #32, 2020 by Doug Bostrom (SkS Original)
• Fri: Why children must emit eight times less CO2 than their grandparents by Zeke Hausfather, (Carbon Brief Repost)
• Sat: 2020 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #33 by John Hartz (SkS Original) 

Poster of the Week...