Can't wait to see NOAA's report on the cliamate for February!....I hope you will post that as well when it comes out, Laura....To keep things nice and balanced here in the accuweather blogosphere.....;-).....

Globally, it was the warmest January on record.

Reply: We have no written records from 100K years ago. Temperature recording began in the 1700's. The earth has been warmer than presently.

It's only when we see trends lasting for multiple years, even decades that we can state with confidence that the climate is changing.

Reply: I can state confidently that the climate and earth are changing, they always have.

Parts of a report from Ohio State University:
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2007-02/osu-atd021207.php

COLUMBUS , Ohio � A new report on climate over the world's southernmost continent shows that temperatures during the late 20th century did not climb as had been predicted by many global climate models.

"The westerlies have intensified over the last four decades of so, increasing in strength by as much as perhaps 10 to 20 percent," he said. "This is a huge amount of ocean north of Antarctica and we're only now understanding just how important the winds are for things like mixing in the Southern Ocean." The ocean mixing both dissipates heat and absorbs carbon dioxide, one of the key greenhouse gases linked to global warming.

Temperatures out west have been very cold, and we in Colorado are about to break the record for the coldest and snowiest winter since at least 1914 with 63 consecutive days of snow cover.

As seen in the NOAA graph, Colorado is an amazing 15 degrees below normal for the year
http://www.hprcc.unl.edu/products/maps/acis/YearTDeptUS.png

Also, most of the country is below normal for the year.

In addition, Colorado and much of the west has been consistently below normal since September.
http://www.hprcc.unl.edu/products/maps/acis/wrcc/WaterTDeptWRCC.png

Laura,

It's this type of sensible, scientific, and fact based (shouldn't that be part of scientific?) reporting and blogging that has made Accuweather my number one weather source.

If I should ever want an emotional opinion on the climate, I'll ask my dog the next time I try and put him out while it is raining. He certainly has an opinion about it.

Regards,
Chad
Cincinnati, OH

It's a myth...

Humans are not causing global warming, but it's quite obvious they aren't helping it

Remember the Medieval warm? Of course you don't.. look it up

According to history texts it had a quick temperature rise and was followed by a mini-ice age

I think that's what is going to happen now too

Antartica has a growing ozone hole (oooh, is this a natural 'cycle' too?) which has mitigated some of the warming which has been experienced in the North pole. Also, the southern hemisphere has much more ocean coverage compared with the northern hemisphere; yes, oceans are a CO2 sink, but they also do not warm as quickly as land masses do, which is why you see the southern hemisphere not warming as quickly as the northern hemisphere.

I find it interesting that many of these GW skeptics are also skeptical of smoking being bad for you or UV radiation being harmful. It makes you wonder...what DO they believe in?

Are they 'skeptical' of common sense too?

-Mark

Mark, being skeptical is all about common sense. Contrary to what politicians and movie stars are telling us, there's no reason to jump into anything right away. Give it a few more years and let the real, unbiased, scientists and climatologists give us their take on things. Then we can make informed decisions based on facts, not theories and innuendo.
The fact that so many non-climatologists are demanding immediate action is all the more reason to do nothing at the moment.

antarctica actually has a shrinking ozone hole and the ice cap is growing by 26.8 gigatons per year

Mark,

Studies show that the the lack of ozone reduces the absorption of ultra-violet light in the stratosphere, therefore less absorption means less heat throughout that area of the stratoshere.

You: I find it interesting that many of these GW skeptics are also skeptical of smoking being bad for you.

Reply: I am a GW skeptic and my father passed away due to lung disease, FROM SMOKING!

You are right up there with the Boston Globe comparing us to Holocaust deniers. The global warming crowd is looking more and more like a cult. You are getting scarier than the "global warming theory" itself.

Chris,

Yours is a strawman argument. We should take action based on what many climatologists are saying! and in doing so, we should not cripple the economy...that goes without saying.

Are you ignoring the fact that the sun itself is destroying the Ozone? It does more harm than any size human race could imagine.

I am not a skeptic, I am a realist
again, look up the Midieval warm, records say it was followed by a small ice age

One must understand history to understand the future

I totally agree with Mark. I don't know what the skeptics want to hear.

There are thousands of proves (scientific ones) argueing Global Warming is happening. And these proves refer to world-wide temperatures.

A somehow cold Winter in Colorado is not enough. Why don't you look at a bigger area, say, Europe and much of Asia?.

All skeptics see is just what they want to.

Fine, keep on denying this is not happening and we'll never find a solution for this.

Emiliano

Does anyone even know what a normal climate is for Earth anyway? Have there been studies to determine the Earth's climate millions of years ago or more? What we are considering normal is what we've experienced in the last 150 years.Sure there are soil and ice samples but how can we be sure the findings are right? Maybe we are just spiking to the normal temperature.Who knows,could be 300 degrees or more.I just don't see how co2 concentrations and ice thickness is a good way to determine a normal climate.

Thor, many thousands of climatologists are saying it's not proven man has had anything to do with the warming, but they're the one's being ignored by the press. The verdict seems to be in...we're going to ram this through quickly before the skeptics gain too much of a following! And make no mistake, our economies will suffer. I'm all for cutting pollution in the water, ground and atmosphere, and wouldn't even mind cutting CO2 as long as we the people don't lose our standard of living.
Emiliano: You seem to have it backwards. It's the pro-GW's who point to every hurricane and tornado in Fla. and say how it's caused by global warming. I've witnessed this here in Canada on our Weather Network and some of the local channels. Only now it's worse since the alarmists have changed the name to climate change. This colder than normal Feb. is now being blamed on greenhouse gasses too!
As an aside, I've smoked for over thirty years in small enclosures like cars and if second hand smoke was dangerous I would have died years ago. That was another myth perpetrated by the left using dubious "evidence". Look up "The Heather Crowe File" for proof of that scam.

I'm not a skeptic of the fact that the climate is changing but I am a skeptic of the science determining the cause.C'mon do you really think there is an accurate way to measure every aspect of the Sun's output?

Thor, many thousands of climatologists are saying it's not proven man has had anything to do with the warming, but they're the one's being ignored by the press.

Thousands? Many thousands?

I'm not sure there are even "many thousands" of credentialed climatologists, never mind their position on AGW. What I do know is that the same handful are quoted over and over by the deniers.

You'd think that some of these "many thousands" would manage to get their research published in peer-reviewed journals. The absence of such publication might have something to do with why they are ignored by the press.

Oh, but I forgot. It's that "left-wing" "liberal" press that once again, in a massive conspiracy, suppressing the truth in order to advance their socialist marxist atheist lies. Right Chris?

As an aside, I've smoked for over thirty years in small enclosures like cars and if second hand smoke was dangerous I would have died years ago.

Surely "Chris" is joking. His "first-hand" smoking DWARFS any risk he might have from second-hand smoke. His apparent denial of the hazards of tobacco use informs our view of how much -- or how little -- we should value his opinion of global warming.

I find it interesting that many of these GW skeptics are also skeptical of smoking being bad for you or UV radiation being harmful. It makes you wonder...what DO they believe in?

REPLY: We belive in anything other than what you believe in, Mark. That being MARXISM, which is what this is. For all the warmth that happened in January, in February it was brutally cold where I am at, and at the time of this writing, in Florida, it's about 55 degrees. Global Warming is bull, plain and simple, and you know it. We believe in not falling for your tripe! That's what we believe in.

*yawn* Marxism, Socialism, Communist, yadda, yadda. Please go back to your Rush Limbaugh discussion forums.

Fine, keep on denying this is not happening and we'll never find a solution for this.

REPLY:

The guilt trip is not going to work! What is your solution to this non-existant problem? Let me guess....More Government intrusion into your life!...Translation: Marxism.....

Once again, I find some comments that disagree with the ones I've posted (which is ok, no one HAS to believe Global Warming is happening)

But what I want to ask you all readers and commenters of the blog, Do you have any problems with me posting on the blog? I've been accused of Marxism, Communism, etc. I've already explained what those ideologies mean. The problem some people have is, I believe, that they cannot accept people differ when it comes concerning issues. Plus, I don't think more government intrusion is a potential solution. Governments like the one people have in China is a Communist government and, surprise, China's still polluting! Would that be an efficient solution? No, I don't think so.

Oh, by the way, I don't say GW is happening because there's a tornado outbreak in Florida. I just have a look at the globe's panorama first.

Emiliano

BT, there you go, I should be doubly or triply dead now! First hand and second hand smoke, imagine that! Smoking kills, second hand smoke does not.
Those many thousands have signed something called the Oregon Petition, and before you dismiss it, something like 17,000 signers have been verified as having credentials to add to their voices that AWG is bull.
And you're bang on about the Liberal press. Oiznop is right, it's all about government control, and the worst part is that it's another government (U.N.), not even our own so much.

*yawn* Marxism, Socialism, Communist, yadda, yadda. Please go back to your Rush Limbaugh discussion forums

REPLY: Getting old, isn't it? Just like your boy Al and his fear mongering. The truth hurts, doesn't it Mark? Yadda Yadda Yadda yourself!.....;-D

But what I want to ask you all readers and commenters of the blog, Do you have any problems with me posting on the blog?

REPLY: Absolutely NOT! This is a free forum, and you are allowed to express your opinion in a free forum (even if it is based on fear and absurdities). If anyone has problems with your posting on here, then they are attempting to surpress free speech. We have a saying in America. I may not like what you say, but I will defend your right to say it. (again, even if it is considered to be wrong by many). I want you to keep that in mind.
Just make sure you know that there are going to be people out there who vehemently disagree with you and expect responses that will challenge, and maybe annoy you. That is the problem I have with people who can't tolerate a differing opinion (namely the political left). They insinuate those who differ from them are simple minded, and uneducated. Nothing can be further from the truth, and thinking as such is pretty simple minded in it's own right.

one other thing, E:

Governments like the one people have in China is a Communist government and, surprise, China's still polluting!

REPLY: Did China sign the Kyoto treaty? I'd be curious to know.

Ah, the answer to my question! When in doubt, consult the Wikipedia:

Other countries, like India and China, which have ratified the protocol, are not required to reduce carbon emissions under the present agreement despite their relatively large populations.

REPLY: Sounds pretty hypocritical to me!

"Other countries, like India and China, which have ratified the protocol, are not required to reduce carbon emissions under the present agreement despite their relatively large populations."

REPLY: Sounds pretty hypocritical to me!

It also sounds hypocritical to me as well. If they have ratified the protocol, then they SHOULD be required to reduce carbon emissions.

Hey I've got an idea to help save us from global warming. Everyone who smokes (tobacco, pot, crack, etc) STOP smoking. =) Not only will you have cleaner lungs, save money, and everyone else will be able to breathe better....BUT you'll reduce some of the emissions that are being exhaled.

Emiliano, don't let them get to you, you are free to say what ever you want since this is a free forum that is supposed to be tolerant of everyone's ideas. If we have to be bullied in order to believe what the activists are saying there could be a hole somewhere in some of theories. But (before I hear backlash..which feel free that's your God given right), although I disagree with the theories with GW, I do understand what the activists are saying; however, being a skeptical realist w/plenty of common sense, I also see where the the anti GW people are expected to be tolerant - to basically roll over and accept that GW is factual and it's caused by someone/something maybe man maybe someone else (who really cares). So why do we have to be tolerant when the other side doesn't have to be?

Taking out the flavor of the month (GW or whatever the band wagon is) should we at least work to improving our technologies so that we can be a little more efficient? Besides, I thought we were all supposed to have flying cars by now and living on the moon? I don't know about you, but I still don't have my flying car. =)

I'm surprised to read so many comments by people wary of Global Warming. I'm not an alarmist by nature, but after seeing the scientific data presented in "An Inco