[asa] New Climate Model, Short-Term Cooling in a Warmer World

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/01/science/earth/01climate.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

One of the first attempts to look ahead a decade, using computer
simulations and measurements of ocean temperatures, predicts a slight
cooling of Europe and North America, probably related to shifting
currents and patterns in the oceans.

The team that generated the forecast, whose members come from two German
ocean and climate research centers, acknowledged that it was a
preliminary effort. But in a short paper published in the May 1 issue of
the journal Nature, they said their modeling method was able to
reasonably replicate climate patterns in those regions in recent
decades, providing some confidence in their prediction for the next one.
============

As best I can tell what they are doing is using actual ocean temperature
measurements to refine the models. Seems to me such actuals should have
been used all along and does little to increase confidence in the models.

Dave W (ASA)

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Received on Fri May 2 10:42:04 2008