The warmest time of the year

This week marks the beginning of what is usually the hottest time of the year in southeast Texas. The normal high temperature is in the mid 90s from now till the middle of August. The normal low temps average in the mid 70s during this time.  Our record highs the next several weeks are all over 100°! Even the record low temperatures are warm, averaging in the mid to upper 60s.

We can hope for a cool front to drop south and bring us an early taste of fall, but that’s not likely to happen. This time of year the jet stream is usually well north of Texas. And since cold fronts follow the jet stream, it would take a major shift in the weather patterns to get some cool air down here. The best we can hope for is a wind shift that might drop the humidity a couple of notches or a cool downburst wind from an afternoon thunderstorm.

Houston: Hottest city in the area?

For the past several days the official high temperature in Houston has been in the upper 90s. The high on Friday was 99°. But is that the real temperature?

Here's how the temperature at Bush IAH compares with some of the other local reporting stations:

• Bush IAH: 99°
• Hobby Airport: 96°
• Pearland: 95°
• Sugar Land: 97°
• Tomball: 95°
• Pasadena: 95°

It seems like the thermometer at Bush IAH is about 2-3° too warm. And that's the way it's been all week.

The official high at Bush IAH last Sunday was 99° and that tied a record that was set back in 1902!  And again it was 2-3° warmer than every other temperature in this area.

Is it the urban heat island effect?  Then why isn't Hobby Airport warmer?

We wrote to the National Weather Service and asked them to investigate the weather instruments at the big airport. A technician checked the gauges on Thursday and reported that, "...there doesn't appear to be any reason why the IAH temperature would not be accurate."

But something is not right. The instruments might be working correctly, but are they correctly measuring the weather....or the effects of hot jet engines idling nearby, parked on black asphalt?

I noticed last year that when the wind is light during the summer, the temperature at Bush IAH is hotter than nearby areas. I complained then, too.

What difference does it make?

Arguments for and against global warming are often based on temperature readings. If these measurements are not accurately reflecting the real weather, then the data is flawed.

It has been documented that many of the weather reporting sites installed and maintained by the National Weather Service are not sited correctly and therefore may not be accurately measuring the weather. Check out some of the reports at www.surfacestations.org

Here's the other challenge: how do we forecast the temperature for Houston when the official reading may not be accurate?  We don't.  At ABC13 we forecast the average temperature expected within the city of Houston. We expect the temperature to be about 94-95° in Houston on Saturday and Sunday.  (It will probably be closer to 98° at Bush IAH.)

Rainfall totals are much lower than normal

It has been a month since widespread rain fell across southeast Texas. And it's starting to show.

For most of us the lack of rain means we're seeing cracks in the ground around our yard. For farmers in the area, it means a potential loss at market. Eyewitness News reporter Kevin Quinn has more on that part of the story.

The map to the right shows how dry we are. Rainfall so far this year is about 3" below normal in Houston while Galveston is over 7" behind. Tomball stands out as being the one local reporting station showing above normal rainfall thanks to a couple of isolated, heavy showers.

Some moisture-rich tropical air will give us a better chance of rain on Friday and Saturday.  Even then, the rain will be scattered so some yards and fields could stay dry.

Is it a record high, or not?

According to the National Weather Service the record high for Saturday is either 92° or 94°.  The online database, which we've been referencing all week, lists the record for May 10 as 92° set in 2003.  Then today, the NWS issued a climate statement listing the record for May 10 as 94° set in 1927.

So I called them.  Apparently, there are two different databases being used here. One list shows the record temps recorded at Bush IAH and the other database shows the all time record observed at the "official" recording site, regardless of where that site was located. From 1889 through the 1960s, the "official" data was collected in downtown Houston. The "official" site moved to the big airport in 1969.

Either way, Saturday is going to be a hot day. Just by chance, my forecast calls for a high of 93°, which will be a record high or a near record high.  A wind shift on Sunday will drop the temps back into the 80s and bring us lower humidity. Just for you, Mom.

Updated Saturday Evening: The National Weather Service issued a statement regarding my questions on the record temps:

NCDC (the National Climatic Data Center) has issued a new set of records for Houston which go further back in time than the previous set. We are in the process of updating this information on the NWS HGX website. The correct records can be found in the daily climate products.

So the new record high for May 10 is 94° set in 1927. The official high at Bush IAH on Saturday was 91°, a near record high. Until we hear otherwise....

We need rain

No one wants it to rain on the weekend. But we do need it.

Just a little more than two inches of rain has fallen at Bush Intercontinental Airport so far this month. That's about three quarters of inch below normal. For the year, we're wetter than normal...but not by much.

The last soaking shower we had was on March 10 when about an inch of rain fell in most locations. Officially .88" fell at Bush IAH that day.

Most of us will probably stay dry this weekend. There is a 30-40% chance of rain in the forecast. However, IF rain does develop it could be heavy in a few spots.

Saturday will probably start off cloudy. A small disturbance moving along a stalled front will produce some widely scattered showers. Once that lifts northeast the sky will partially clear Saturday afternoon. A few more showers could develop on Sunday but with the front shifting to our north, that's probably where most of the rain will be.

Winter Weather Update

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reports temperatures this winter were the coldest since 2001. The average temperature for the contiguous United States was 33.2° from December through February.

The colder temperatures were common from the West Coast through the Midwest. It was warmer than usual from Texas through the East Coast.

The cold air combined with moisture to produce more snow than normal across the Midwest and the Rocky Mountain states. In January alone, 170" fell at the Alta ski area near Salt Lake City, Utah.

Rainfall was a little more sparse across Texas. The state averaged much below normal this winter.

Average Winter Temps

A survey of temperatures across the country reveals this winter has been warmer than normal across the eastern half of the country and cooler than normal out west.

In Houston, our average temperature since December 22 is exactly 1° above normal. Cities farther east and north are between 2-6 degrees warmer than normal this winter. Cities west of the Rockies are about the same amount below normal.

This warmer air also contains moisture which is partially responsible for the severe weather outbreaks and near-record snowfall in the Midwest. The clouds and rain out west have helped keep things cooler than usual.

It's not so easy being green

New studies published Thursday suggest alternative biofuels like Ethanol are not as environmentally friendly as hoped.

Clearing large amounts of land to produce biofuels can effect the ecosystem. The European Union and other countries are considering regulations that stipulate biofuels cannot come from land that was previously rain forest. In the United States, many farmers are now strictly growing corn which means soybeans and other crops have to be grown elsewhere and imported into the country.

Then there's the problem with the amount of water it takes to produce all this Ethanol. It takes 3 gallons of water to produce 1 gallon of corn-based gas.

Earlier this week, Consumer Reporter Jeff Ehling did a story on compact florescent light bulbs. While the new bulbs are more energy efficient, they each contain a small amount of mercury. CFBs must be recycled when they burn out. If they are thrown in the garbage, the glass will most likely break in the landfall leaking the mercury into the ground... and eventually into the groundwater.

Reduce. Recycle. Reuse. It's still the easiest way to protect our environment.

Global Cooling!??

Scientists in Russia are predicting a drop in global temperatures over the next several years. Their research suggests global warming has peaked. "By the mid-21st century the planet will face another Little Ice Age," said Khabibullo Abdusamatov, head of a space research lab in St. Petersburg, Russia.

This reminds me of medical research that warns "Chocolate is bad for you" one week and then proclaims "Chocolate is good for you" the next. After awhile you stop believing the research.

2007 Weather Year in Review

The year 2007 started off wet, with at least a trace of rain on 20 out of 31 days in January. On the 15th of the month cold air combined with the moisture to produce some freezing rain, sleet and snow over the northwest part of the area.

And then it stopped raining. February was the driest on record in Galveston where only .03" of rain fell during the whole month. An increase in the warm air brought several rounds of severe weather in March. Damage was reported in Colorado, Austin and Wharton counties.

Winter came back in April with snow and sleet falling north of Houston, around Brenham, Conroe and Livingston. Severe thunderstorms throughout the month of May caused damage in several parts of the area. A small tornado touched down in New Caney early in the month.  Tennis ball sized hail fell in western Harris county on the 30th, and over five inches of rain fell in less than two hours.

Summer started off dry. Almost no rain fell in Houston during the early part of June, while it rained only eight days in Galveston. A change in the weather pattern brought much need rain during the last half of June and into July. The month ended up being one of the top ten wettest in Houston. 26.42" of rain fell in Matagorda.

Tropical Storm Erin brought more rain on August 16. Up to 10 inches of rain fell in eastern Harris county. Even with all the rain, it was warm, the fourth warmest August in record in Galveston. The temperature topped 102 degrees in Houston on August 12 and 14. September was the eighth warmest on record in Houston. On September 13, Hurricane Humberto made landfall just east of High Island causing over $1 million in damage.

Both October and November were warm the first couple of weeks and colder the last half of each month. Torrential rain fell on the 15th of October, causing flooding in several counties.

The first freeze of the season didn't occur until December 17, about three weeks later than normal. Several record high temperatures were set in both Houston and Galveston.

Many thanks to the staff at the Houston-Galveston National Weather Service office for their help tracking the weather in 2007 and maintaining the weather records for southeast Texas.

2007: One of the Warmest!

The average temperature for the whole United States was about 1.5 degrees above normal in 2007. That makes last year one of the ten warmest years on record. Globally, it was the fifth warmest year since 1880, when records began.

Drought conditions in the southeast made news late in the year, but it was also dry at times in the northeast and parts of the west. The dry weather in California produced an active wildfire season. A series of storms midsummer produce flooding from Texas to Missouri. Four tropical cyclones made landfall during hurricane season.

I'll be posting an annual review of southeast Texas weather in a few days.

A.M.S. to become "carbon neutral?"

A member of the American Meteorological Society wants the professional organization to take a stance on global warming and become "carbon neutral." Thomas Hamill wrote in the November issue of the AMS Bulletin that the national office should impose a "tax" on members who fly or drive to conferences. The money could then be donated to groups and businesses who work for environmental causes, Hamill suggests.

It's an interesting idea. However, as a member of the A.M.S., I would hope the leadership of the organization would query the membership before making a decision. Many members don't agree with the official position of the Society that humans are causing global warming.  Instead of forcing the environmental tax, the A.M.S. leadership could encourage members to voluntarily participate. Just add a line to the registration form with a space for a donation to a legitimate, non-profit, environmental agency.

Here's the bigger question: Is this the wave of the future? What if the local grocery store added an environmental tax to your bill to offset the cost of shipping? What if your utility bill included a fee to offset the carbon footprint created by coal burning power plants?  The airlines already add a fuel charge to tickets, what if they added another $15 to offset greenhouse gases produced by jet exhaust? How much are you willing to pay?  Click on the comments section below and post your thoughts.

Sunspots might produce global warming

Scientists who study the sun have noticed a lack of sunspots over the last couple of months.  The picture of the sun to the left was recorded this week and shows one tiny, little sunspot just to the left of center. And that's it.  Nobody knows why, but the number of sunspots peaks every 11 years. The maximum is usually followed by a minimum.

Further research shows there might be a correlation between the number of sunspots and global temperatures. Sunspots were rare between 1645 and 1715 and temperatures dropped so low that period is often referred to as the "Little Ice Age" in Europe. At the same time, solar cycles have been getting more intense during the 20th century and temperatures have been rising.

At the Weather Research Center here in Houston, meteorologist Jill Hasling issues a hurricane forecast based on the sunspot cycle. In an email, Hasling told me "I believe the main cause for climate change is the sun."

The extended sunspot minimum has some scientists speculating that we could be entering another low cycle which in turn might cause global cooling!

All of this reminds us that the atmosphere is very complicated and there could be things effecting our weather we just don't understand yet.

La Nina likely to continue into 2008

The ocean water in the central Pacific continues to cool. Sea surface temps off the west coast of South America are now about 2-4°F below normal according to the Climate Prediction Center.

Long range forecast models predict moderate La Nina conditions will continue through December followed by a gradual weakening into the new year.

In the past La Nina conditions have produced a warm, dry weather pattern in Texas and throughout the south.

Climate scientist speaks out against "global-warming apocalypse"

The Wall Street Journal published an editorial last week from John R. Christy, a member of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. The IPCC along with Vice-President Al Gore recently won the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize for "their efforts to build up and disseminate greater knowledge about man-made climate change."

But it seems Christy doesn't support the "alarmist" theories about global warming. He writes:

I'm sure the majority (but not all) of my IPCC colleagues cringe when I say this, but I see neither the developing catastrophe nor the smoking gun proving that human activity is to blame for most of the warming we see. Rather, I see a reliance on climate models (useful but never "proof") and the coincidence that changes in carbon dioxide and global temperatures have loose similarity over time.

I see jump-to-conclusions advocates and, unfortunately, some scientists who see in every weather anomaly the specter of a global-warming apocalypse.

If you look at the 1,000-year climate record for the western U.S. you will see not five-year but 50-year-long droughts. The 12th and 13th centuries were particularly dry. The inconvenient truth is that the last century has been fairly benign in the American West. A return to the region's long-term "normal" climate would present huge challenges for urban planners. If you look at the 1,000-year climate record for the western U.S. you will see not five-year but 50-year-long droughts. The 12th and 13th centuries were particularly dry. The inconvenient truth is that the last century has been fairly benign in the American West. A return to the region's long-term "normal" climate would present huge challenges for urban planners.

Christy is also Director of the Earth System Science Center at the University of Alabama in Huntsville. If you missed the link above, you can read his full editorial here.

I always welcome your comments. Look for the link below.

New light bulbs save energy and save money

With the days getting shorter now, we’ll be spending more time indoors with the lights on. This is a good time to consider switching some your lights to compact fluorescent light bulbs.

According to Earthgauge, an environmental resource group, CFL bulbs use about 75 percent less energy than standard incandescent bulbs and last up to 10 times longer. When the bulb does burn out, however, don’t just throw it in your garbage can. Each CFL bulb contains a small amount of mercury and should be taken to a household hazardous waste facility.

Feeling like Fall....Finally!

If you were outdoors between 9-10 AM this morning, then you felt the cold front push through the Houston area. The temperature at Bush Intercontinental Airport dropped from 76-degrees at 9 AM to 63-degrees by 10 AM. The winds were blowing from the northwest at 20-25 mph, so it really felt more like 45-degrees!

The winds will relax a little tonight, although it will be breezy enough near the coast for a Wind Advisory to remain in effect through Tuesday morning.

Temps will drop a little more. We're forecasting lows near 50-degrees by early Tuesday morning. Outlying rural communities north of Houston could dip into the mid 40s by morning.

Do you know where your coat is?

Our last 90 degree day?

Temperatures the past few days have been at or near record highs. But this morning's cool front knocked us back to normal.

Have we had our last 90-degree day? Let's hope! Looking back at weather data over the past five years, our last 90-degree day of the year came as early as October 6 and as late as October 25.

While the afternoon highs this weekend will still average a few degrees warmer than normal, the low humidity will keep us comfortable.

La Nina Winter Conditions

The water in the central Pacific Ocean is about 3-5 degrees cooler than normal. The water is expected to continue to cool into early 2008, creating a weak-to-moderate La Nina weather pattern this winter. Anytime the water in the Pacific is much warmer or cooler than normal, the weather patterns around the world change.

In the past when La Nina develops, it's usually drier in Texas and the southwest. We also tend to be warmer than normal. That does not mean we won't have cold days. A similar La Nina weather pattern during the winter of 1964-65 produced an ice storm here in February 1965.

Here's the average rainfall for Houston for the next few months:

• October: 4.50"
• November: 4.19"
• December: 3.69"
• January: 3.68"
• February: 2.98"

Polar Opposites

The amount of sea ice covering the North Pole is at a record low. Over the last two years the ice has shrunk about 23%. NASA reports the decrease in ice is due to an usual wind pattern blowing around the Arctic.

On the other side of the cryosphere (the frozen part of the earth), the sea ice covering the South Pole is at a record high. Strangely, this wasn't mentioned in NASA's article.

Meteorologist Travis Herzog dug a little deeper and discovered NASA's own data shows over the last five years the ice over the North Pole has been decreasing about the same rate that the ice over the South Pole has been increasing.

When is it going to cool off?!?

That’s the question I get a lot lately. Overall, temperatures this month are averaging almost three degrees above normal.  We've only had a few days when the high temperature hasn't been 90 degrees or higher! We haven't set any records, however. It hasn’t been that hot.

While afternoon high temps are a couple of degrees above normal, the moist air is keeping us much warmer at night. Overnight lows are averaging about five degrees above normal.  The coolest morning so far this month was September 21, when we dropped down to 65 degrees.

The cool front moving through the state tonight won't send us to the closet running for our sweaters. Temps will drop a little Friday and Saturday night, but we'll still be warmer than normal. This front is bringing in less humid air and that is always a treat. But the dry air heats up quickly so we'll still be fairly warm during the afternoon hours.

According to records at the Houston-Galveston National Weather Service, we didn’t cool off last year until September 26 when we dropped down to 57 degrees. We didn’t drop below 60 until early October the year before. And in 2004, we didn’t feel the cool air until the middle of October!

Does it feel like Fall to you?

We have officially moved beyond what is typically the hottest time of the year. Our average high is now in the low 90s! The hottest temperature ever recorded from now till the end of the year is …only 100. Well, never mind that. Fall officially begins in just two weeks! The autumnal equinox will occur at 4:51 AM on September 23.

I do see signs of fall all around these days. Maybe it’s the sight of kids walking to school. Maybe it’s the leaves falling from the pecan tree in my backyard. Maybe it’s the holiday decorations already for sale in some of our local stores. Or maybe it’s me just being an optimist. I always compare the summer in Texas to the winters up north: for two months nobody goes outside unless they have to. By late August, I usually have summer cabin fever and can’t wait for fall so I can spend more time outdoor in the “cool” air.

An August Cool Front?

I don't believe it either...

Yet there it is, pushing into north Texas now. I think the front will wash out before it gets to Houston, but we might enjoy lower dew points for a couple of days thanks to a northeast wind.

Our FutureTrack computer model suggest the dew points could drop into the 60s this weekend, especially in the northern counties. This less humid air will reduce the chance of rain and allow overnight lows to drop, perhaps a few degrees cooler than normal! Afternoons will still be warm, however, since the less humid air will heat up quickly.

As you know from watching 13 Eyewitness News, the dew point is a measure of moisture. Technically, it's the temperature at which the atmosphere becomes saturated. But you can also use the dew point to gauge how uncomfortable it is; the higher the dew point, the more humid the air. Lately the dew points have been in the sultry upper 70s. But this weekend some folks could enjoy dew points in the mid to upper 60s!

The push of less humid air across Texas will also reduce the chance of rain this Labor Day weekend. Although a few showers are still possible, the chance that you'll get wet is lower now than it was earlier this week.

Rain and Records Keep Falling in Houston

A rain record has fallen at Bush Intercontinental Airport for the second day in a row, and with all the wet weather this summer, we've received a lot of questions lately about how our damp and dreary 2007 stacks up in the record books.  Someone even went so far as to ask how many wet days we've had versus dry days.

Well, I ran the numbers, and here's what I found.  If you define a "wet" day as one with at least a trace of rain at the big airport, we've had 109 wet days and 92 dry days!  If you take out the days with only a trace of rain, that wet number drops to 79.  No matter how you look at it, this has been the 7th wettest period from January 1st to July 20th on record.

July's rain gauge now stands at 8.11", placing it 9th on the all-time wet July list, and with 11 days left in the month, it's likely to climb even higher!  If you're fascinated by climate data like I am, check out this climate page put together by our local National Weather Service Office.  It's the perfect way to pass the time on a rainy day!

Harris County Rainfall Totals

The heavy showers that started falling in June continued into July. At least a trace of rain fell at Bush Intercontinental Airport for 34 of 45 days from the start of June till now. That's a month of rainy days over a six week period.

The map to the left shows how much rain has fallen in some neighborhoods since June 1. The highest amount is near Spring Branch where a stalled storm dropped several inches of rain one night in early June. Rainfall amounts shown here were recorded by rain gauges installed by the Harris County Office of Emergency Management.

Earthguage, an environmental resource for broadcasters, calculates a 2,000 square foot home and yard can catch up to 36,000 gallons of rainfall water per year. Think about how much you could save on  your water bill if you collected rain water and used it on your landscaping between showers. A simple bucket works or you could buy a more elaborate barrel which connects to your downspout and stores the water until you need it. Just make sure you keep your filled buckets covered or you'll attract mosquitoes. You could also build a small pond in your landscaping to catch the rain so it can recharge the water table instead of running off into the nearest storm drain.

Record High Temperatures in Houston

Over the first four days in July, three of them saw high temperature records fall at Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, but you wouldn't know it given all the wet weather.  These records are for the coolest high temperatures since readings have been kept.

The record books now look like this for the first few days in July:

Date     Coolest High

7/1       84 (2007)
7/2       84 (2007)
7/3       82 (2006)
7/4       82 (2007)
7/5       82 (1972)

On Tuesday, July 3rd, the temperature warmed up to 87 degrees, which is still 6 degrees below average.  I suppose the rain has been good for something...

Houston Needs Rain

If the month were to end today, this would tie for the driest June on record in Houston. Only .08" of an inch of rain has fallen so far at Bush Intercontinental Airport, during what is usually the wettest month of the year. Not a drop of rain has fallen in Galveston yet this month. 

Heavy thundershowers have been moving over southeast Texas the last few days. Steering winds are light so the slow moving storms have dumped almost two inches of rain in some neighborhoods. But the rain has been widely scattered and hasn't fallen at the official reporting locations.

Last month almost ten inches of rain fell in Houston and for the year, we're about six inches above normal. But if plentiful rains don't start falling soon, that surplus will quickly evaporate.

While we are not officially in a drought, the topsoil is dry from the blazing sun and warm temperatures this month. Keep the sprinkler running for now.

Global Warming Shades of Gray

As if the debate about global warming wasn't confusing enough, NASA scientists now say computer models have been underestimating how hot it's going to be in the future if carbon dioxide emissions continue to soar. According to Barry Lynn of NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies, "In extreme seasons - when precipitation falls infrequently - July and August daily high temperatures could average between 100 and 110 degrees Fahrenheit in cities such as Chicago Washington, and Atlanta." Which makes me wonder, of course, how bad it's going to be in Houston.

But this prediction is based on a computer model; it's a guess. I look at computer models every day in trying to decide if it's going to rain tomorrow. I have a choice of 25 different models to pick from, but I find there are only five I can rely on to be reasonably accurate. And these five models seldom agree with each other. Just this past week, one model showed extremely heavy rain while another model indicated no precip in the Houston area. (We had a few showers, but the storm did not develop as indicated by the model. So neither one was right.)

When I read the NASA study I immediately thought of Dr. William Gray who addressed a small crowd at the AccuWeather Hurricane Summit this past week in Houston. Gray admits data shows the world is getting warmer but he passionately argues that this is part of a natural cycle that has been occuring for centuries. Gray predicts the latest temperature rise will end in the next 5-10 years and 20 years from now global temperatures will be lower than they are now. The problem, according to Gray, is that most climate scientists today base their predictions on computer models that have shown "no skill."

So how do we know if the latest NASA computer model is accurate?  We don't. Lynn says his model provides "reliable simulations" about upcoming climate change. But how does he know the simulations are reliable? I say, tell us first what the temperatures will be this summer. Make a prediction. If it's accurate, if the model shows some skill at forecasting, only then should we believe it when the data suggests it's going to be 10 degrees hotter 80 years from now.

E-cycling Success!

Many thanks to everyone who participated in our first ever electronics recycling drive Friday morning at ABC13. We hauled away several trucks full of old computers, monitors, printers, cords and cell phones.  That's several truckfuls of junk that won't be going to our local landfills.

Sunday is Earth Day. This is a perfect time to start recycling if you don't do it already. It's easier than you think. Check abc13.com for more information on what, where and how you can start recycling today.

Spring has sprung!

Have you noticed how green everything is today? Last week's thunderstorms were full of lightning which produces nitrates that rain into the ground as natural fertilizer. After a couple of days of warm sunshine, the grays and browns of winter are gone!

Spring officially begins at 7:07 PM Tuesday, March 20.

Adios El Nino

The water in the Pacific Ocean is no longer as warm as it was. Instead the water is now a little cooler than normal. El Nino is being replaced by La Nina according to NOAA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The La Nina weather pattern can cause drought conditions in Texas and the southwest. That’s not good news for central Texas which is still dry from last summer. Also, upper atmospheric winds tend to weaken which can allow more tropical weather systems to develop in the Atlantic Ocean.

It is common for La Nina to follow El Nino. In other words, the water in the Pacific Ocean usually cools after a warm period.  If the recent cooling is indeed a trend, the water temps will continue to drop this spring and stay cool thru the upcoming summer and winter.

Read the full report here.

Global Warming

The report on global warming issued by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change a couple of weeks ago states on page 8, "Most of the observed increase in globally averaged temperatures since the mid-20th century is very likely due to the observed increase in anthropogenic (manmade) greenhouse gas concentrations."

Even before I had a chance to finish reading the report, a colleague sent me a link to a webpage presenting a different opinion. In fact, if you Google "global warming" you'll get a list of 68,200,000 websites which support or knock down theories about climate change. Be careful what you read. Some so-called "experts" are not. Some are paid for their opinion, which is different than fact. But read nonetheless. Be open to a dissenting opinion. Consider the arguments. This is an important topic and one that we all need to study. Hopefully, our political leaders will do the same.

Read the report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change here.

Read a statement from the American Meteorological Society here.

Read the other side of the story here. This is the link referred to above.