Comments on: Climate Change Changing Cyclones?

By: jluongo

jluongo — Tue, 20 May 2008 12:17:29 +0000

Suemedha, this article is both bad science and bad journalism. First, you need to point out that this study is based on a particular climate model run. You should never look at these in isolation. In essence it is a data point and you are extrapolating from one point. Second, there has never been a consensus in the science community about whether global warming will have an effect on the FREQUENCY of storms. There is a consensus — and this study is another data point in the consensus — that global warming will, over time, increase the INTENSITY of storms either because of ocean warming and/or sea level rise. Third, there are numerous studies that show that storms are a mechanism for the planet to discharge heat buildup — basic thermodynamics here — and so a heat buildup can create one large storm or several smaller storms to accomplish the same amount of heat discharge. There, may in fact, be an inverse correlation between storm frequency and storm intensity. Fourth, there are already scientific responses on this study available on the internet. Just google and read Trenberth's comments. Lastly, as journalism, your takeaway “The science isn't [all] in yet” is completely irresponsible. First, the science is never all in. That's what makes it science. Second, this is the mantra of the right-wingnut climate skeptics who try to exploit the necessary tentativeness of all science to make people doubt the broad scientific consensus about global warming. Google around and you will see them playing up this story as an example of why we should doubt all climate science. You should know better.

By: jluongo

jluongo — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 19:00:00 +0000

Suemedha, this article is both bad science and bad journalism. First, you need to point out that this study is based on a particular climate model run. You should never look at these in isolation. In essence it is a data point and you are extrapolating from one point. Second, there has never been a consensus in the science community about whether global warming will have an effect on the FREQUENCY of storms. There is a consensus — and this study is another data point in the consensus — that global warming will, over time, increase the INTENSITY of storms either because of ocean warming and/or sea level rise. Third, there are numerous studies that show that storms are a mechanism for the planet to discharge heat buildup — basic thermodynamics here — and so a heat buildup can create one large storm or several smaller storms to accomplish the same amount of heat discharge. There, may in fact, be an inverse correlation between storm frequency and storm intensity. Fourth, there are already scientific responses on this study available on the internet. Just google and read Trenberth’s comments. Lastly, as journalism, your takeaway “The science isn’t [all] in yet” is completely irresponsible. First, the science is never all in. That’s what makes it science. Second, this is the mantra of the right-wingnut climate skeptics who try to exploit the necessary tentativeness of all science to make people doubt the broad scientific consensus about global warming. Google around and you will see them playing up this story as an example of why we should doubt all climate science. You should know better.