Quote from stoic:
An Inconvenient Truth, said Chicken Little.
First off you should know that the left wing head of propaganda declared that it's no longer to be called "Global Warming" the PC term is now "Climate Change" that way, no matter what happens, the occasional heat wave....or unusual cold snap..... Chicken Little can blame it on human activity.
Second, the same scientist that predict "climate change" have also stated that if this "tipping point" had happened the entire ice sheet would melt in about 2000 years. If the entire 2,850,000 cubic kilometers of ice were to melt, global sea levels would rise 23.6 ft. If the "thawed ice sheet surface" had skyrocketed to 97% as you state, that would equal about 22.9 ft., something I'm sure would have been on the evening news.
Third, "30 years of observations...." that's quite the sample in geological terms. It never ceases to amaze me just how much credibility Chicken Little puts in such a small sample. No other science would tolerate such appalling substantiation. The Mesozoic Era (just to name one) lasted about 185 million years and it's speculated that the climate was about 10ᵒ to 20ᵒ C warmer. (just in case you don't know, man wasn't around then) The Cryogenian period lasted about 215 million years and is thought to have produced a snow ball earth. Even Chicken Little should know the industrial revolution hadn't started yet to end that one.
Scientist have also estimated that the eruption of Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines in 1991 released more greenhouse gases in just a few days then the total sum of the industrial age of man.
It's quite possible that the earth, on average is getting wormer, we have been emerging out of the last short term ice age for the last 10,000 years or so. Someday I might have to say..."Oh my God!!!....when I was younger the average was 2 degrees lower then it is now......what shall we do? ..............what shall we do...?" Most likely we'll survive........ and so will Chicken Little.
Quote from wjk:
Different spins on the same news:
"Even Greenland's coldest place showed melting. Records show that last happened in 1889 and occurs about once every 150 years...."
"Scientists can't say yet if the melting is from global warming or natural."
http://www.newsmax.com/SciTech/US-SCI-Greenland-Melt/2012/07/24/id/446414
or
"Wagner and other scientists said because this Greenland-wide melting has happened before they can't yet determine if this is a natural rare event or one triggered by man-made global warming."
http://www.usatoday.com/weather/cli...land-ice-sheet-melt-climate-change/56479518/1
Quote from futurecurrents:
Yes, this melting is no more unusual than the drought that the middle of the US is having.
But considering that over the last thirty years? the arctic ice has lost an area the size of Europe, maybe it should not be too surprising that Greenland could catch a warm wet wind. The jet stream meanders are also slowing they think because of the ice loss so weather stays one way for longer now.
Quote from wjk:
What they are saying, however, is it's not conclusive that man is the primary cause because this event has occurred at regular intervals.
The first thing I learned about meteorology in the Nav was the 3 cell theory of circulation. If you understand the theory of circulation (which I'm sure you do), you understand why severe droughts, wet spells, abnormal heat and cold are not unusual when taken over a significant period of time. You mentioned 30 years. Did you know there is a 30 year repeating hurricane cycle? 30 years is not enough time to reach a conclusion regarding AGW.
http://www.magazine.noaa.gov/stories/mag184.htm
?
MW U.S. drought shows 'tremendous intensification'
The drought that has parched large regions of the U.S. this summer shows no signs of easing and is instead getting worse, according to a report released Thursday. The latest U.S. Drought Monitor shows "widespread intensification" of drought through the middle of the country and the map tracking it "set a record for the fourth straight week for the area in moderate drought or worse." The map has 53.44% of the U.S. and Puerto Rico in moderate drought or worse, up from 53.17% last week while 38.11% is in severe drought or worse, compared with 35.32%. Extreme drought is hitting 17.2% of the nation, vs. 11.32% the previous week and 1.99% is in exceptional drought, more than double the earlier figure. "We've seen tremendous intensification of drought through Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Indiana, Arkansas, Kansas and Nebraska, and into part of Wyoming and South Dakota in the last week," said Brian Fuchs, a climatologist and author of the U.S. Drought Monitor. He added that every state in the country had at least some of its area under abnormally dry or worse conditions.