New Reports Show Global Cooling Trend

Tools

New Reports Show Global Cooling Trend

By Jeff Rucker jrucker@nbcaugusta.com

New scientific studies suggest a trend that may have started in the late 1990s. The earth may be cooling.

The Hadley Centre for Climate Change, part of the UK Met Office, tracks global temperature and shows a big drop in global temperature anomalies since January 2007. Based on the HadCRUT3 system of observed temperatures, global surface temperature anomalies have been trending down since 2001. January 2008 had the coldest anomaly since 1995.

Temperature anomaly is the difference between observed temperature and the average temperature for the same time over a period of years.

Meteorologist Anthony Watts compiled the HadCRUT3 temperature grids to make this intriguing plot of trends since 1988. Note the large drop in global temperature anomaly over the past year

Closer to home, Dr John Christy of the University of Alabama, Huntsville, uses NASA data to track global temperatures. His latest report suggests that compared to seasonal norms, January 2008 was the coldest month since July 2006 and the coldest January since 2000.

Anecdotal evidence of the cooling trend is noted by record season snowfall totals and low temperatures over large portions of the northern Hemisphere.  Please visit the NOAA Climate website for more information.

Related story: Weather Channel Founder Calls Global Warming A 'Scam'

Add a comment

Name:

Comment: 500 Characters Left

Comments are moderated and will not appear on this story until after they have been reviewed and deemed appropriate for posting.

WAGT and its affiliated companies are not responsible for the content of comments posted or for anything arising out of use of the above comments or other interaction among the users. We reserve the right to screen, refuse to post, remove or edit user-generated content at any time and for any or no reason in our absolute and sole discretion without prior notice, although we have no duty to do so or to monitor any Public Forum.

WAGT Weather

Click here for 7 Day Forecast
Icon
Current Temp 72 °F
Fair
More Weather

Stock Quotes

This content requires the latest Adobe Flash Player and a browser with JavaScript enabled. Click here for a free download of the latest Adobe Flash Player.

What's On TonightFull Schedule

8:00
most outrageous tv moments
9:00
law & order: svu
10:00
law & order: svu
11:00
nbc augusta news
11:35
the tonight show with jay leno

Viewer Poll

What should Democratic Presidential Candidate Hillary Clinton do?

  • Drop out now
  • Wait to see how the June primaries turn out
  • Hold out until the convention