Quite astonishingly, Antarctic sea ice has set another record for maximum extent, beating the previous record of 19.513 million sq km, set on 21st September this year. What makes the new record so astonishing is that it was set in October, on the 1st. Climatologically, the maximum extent is reached on 22nd September, so it is most unusual for the ice still to be growing 10 days later. Global sea ice area is also above normal, as it has been for much of the year. --Paul Homewood, Not A Lot Of People Know That, 19 October 2013
Whenever the ice at the North and South Pole is mentioned, it is mostly in the context of melting triggered by global warming. However, the sea ice in Antarctica - in contrast to that in the Arctic - has proved to be remarkably robust. New measurements have now confirmed that. As the U.S. space agency NASA announced, the sea ice in the Antarctic has extended over an area of 19.47 million square meters at the end of September. That is the highest since measurements began in 1979. Why the white splendour is extending there while it is rapidly disappearing in the Arctic is a mystery. --Spiegel Online 21 October 2013
A recent paper in the Journal of Climate finds that most climate models erroneously predict that Antarctic sea ice extent decreased over the past 30 years, which "differs markedly from that observed." Antarctic sea ice has confounded the models by instead increasing over the satellite era. In fact, it is currently at a record extent that is more than 2 standard deviations above the 1979-2000 average. The authors lament, "The negative [Antarctic sea ice] trends in most of the model runs over 1979 - 2005 are a continuation of an earlier decline, suggesting that the processes responsible for the observed increase over the last 30 years are not being simulated correctly." --The Hockey Schtick, 18 September 2013
There have been many forecasts in the news in recent years predicting more and more extreme weather-related events in the US, but for 2013 that prediction has been way off the mark. Whether you’re talking about tornadoes, wildfires, extreme heat or hurricanes, the good news is that weather-related disasters in the US are all way down this year compared to recent years and, in some cases, down to historically low levels. --SI Weather News, 18 October 2013
It is well established that both the Atlantic Multidecadal & the Pacific Decadal Oscillations affect global temperatures. According to NOAA, the AMO alternatively obscures and exaggerates global warming. The PDO has now turned cold, and, with the AMO still in its warm phase, temperatures are flatlining. It is likely that the AMO will remain in warm mode for another 10 years or so, but by the mid 2020’s we are likely to see both great ocean patterns stuck together in their cold phases well into the 2030’s. When they do, will we see a similar drop in global temperatures such as we did in the 1970’s? I would not bet against it. --Paul Homewood, Not A Lot Of People Know That, 21 October 2013
Germany’s green energy transition threatens to become a financial disaster for many communities, according to the assessment of North Rhine-Westphalia’s Finance Minister Garrelt Duin. In an interview, the Labour (SPD) minister warned the Ruhr region in particular faces dramatic consequences. According to Duin cities will have to “make spending cuts in a way that is unparalleled.” In discussions with administrators he noticed “great panic”. --Rheinische Post, 21 October 2013
Censorship of skeptic global warming views by the press has been going on for many years. This week, Paul Thornton, letters editor for the Los Angeles Times announced the paper will “no longer publish letters from climate change deniers.” Is this kind of censorship good public-service policy for the Los Angeles Times? It is a good policy for the global warming alarmist movement because those who are more knowledgeable about climate change are more likely to dismiss the alarm as unfounded. It is not so good for citizens who would otherwise benefit from the freedom to make up their own minds after being exposed to different arguments and diverse evidence. --J. Scott Armstrong, Fox News, 18 October 2013
