May 16, 2017

expert reaction to NASA temperature data for April 2017

NASA have released their temperature data for April 2017.

Prof. Piers Forster, Professor of Climate Change at the University of Leeds, said:

“We need to be very careful reading too much into a hot month. The important evidence for climate change is the long-term upward trend – and we are certainly seeing that.

“Scientists or campaigners jumping up and down when a record is broken will only backfire and get climate scientists accused of making false predictions if next April is cooler – it maybe cooler or warmer next year, but it doesn’t really matter because overall, temperatures are rising.  A good example is this winter is the UK: we expect wetter winters for the UK under climate change, but one dry winter doesn’t mean our predictions are wrong – just that the UK weather is variable.”

Dr Chris Huntingford, Climate Modeller at the NERC Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, said:

“Many people don’t believe the climate models or the statistics, but you have to believe what’s in front of you.  Over and over again we are directly measuring temperatures matching or exceeding those previously recorded.  Put simply, the climate change signal is becoming ever more obvious.

“At what point do things become dangerous if the planet continues along this warming pathway?  And are mechanisms in place to slow or stall the emerging trend?  We are in potentially risky and unchartered territory here.”

*https://data.giss.nasa.gov/gistemp/news/20170515/

Declared interests

None declared