By Erin Jordan - bio | email | Facebook | Twitter
TUCSON, AZ (KOLD) - A comprehensive study by over 300 scientists in 48 countries concludes the Earth continues to warm.
The
National Climate Data Center, part of the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration, released a report this week that analyzed 37
climate indicators.
The data is solely based on actual observations from instruments and institutions around the world and on satellites.
These indicators showed the Earth's average global temperature has continued to rise with 2000s decade the warmest on record.
According
to the study, temperature data from four different institutions showed
an "unmistakable upward trend across the globe".
However, the study did not rely solely on temperature data as an indicator of climate.
The
scientists also analyzed other factors such as humidity and ocean heat
content, which showed a upward trend in the data, as well as snow cover,
sea-ice extent, and glacier mass, which showed a downward trend.
The study says the ocean has absorbed over 90% of the warming from the past 50 years.
As the ocean warms, it expands.
This is of major concern to low lying areas as is the melting of land-based ice into the oceans.
Both of these factors can raise sea levels, threatening low lying areas like New York City and Miami.
According
to the data analyzed, sea-level has been rising 1/8th an inch per year,
which is double the average rate of rise over the last 100 years.
Before the early 1900s, sea level was fairly stable for 2000 years.
Natural
fluctuations in weather will continue, says the study, but cold spells
are expected to become less frequent and less intense.
They study offers the winter of 2009-2010 as an example.
The
eastern United States was slammed with weeks of frigid winter
temperatures as cold air was displaced south when warm air took over
much of Canada, threatening the snow pack for the 2010 winter
Olympics.
Also entering into the climate debate is the extent of sea ice in the Arctic.
This past spring the sea ice extent was near average.
However the thickness and amount of old ice (layers of ice that form over many years) was still below average.
The new ice that formed during a cold snap in the early spring months was much thinner than the old ice still in the Arctic.
The thinner new ice melts much more quickly as the Arctic warms through the summer.
For a link to the complete report click here.
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