Real Climate Science

Wolverines in the continental United States could be wiped out by the end of the century if temperatures continue to rise, according to a new study from a scientist at the National Center for Atmospheric Research.

Springtime snow cover helps protect wolverine dens from predators, and the animal is built to thrive in deep powder. But, Synte Peacock, a NCAR scientist, applied computer models projecting climate change to the wolverine habitat in the northern Rockies. Under two of the three projected levels of severity of global warming, Peacock found that springtime snow cover will largely vanish in wolverine habitat by the second half of the century.

Similarly, Peacock found that summertime temperatures will skyrocket. Currently, the average August temperature in wolverine habitat is 72 degrees. That could rise to above 90 degrees by century’s end, according to the more pessimistic models.

“Species that depend on snow cover for their survival are likely to be very vulnerable to climate change,” Peacock said. “It’s highly uncertain whether wolverines will continue to survive in the Lower 48, given the changes that are likely to take place there.”

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2GuMOU6OAM]

Study demonstrates clear connection between warming and rising extinction rates of the American pika for the first time, with implications for many species

By Katherine Bagley, SolveClimate News

Scientists have long understood that climate change has an effect on the numbers and distribution of animal species, but exactly how big an impact and why has remained largely speculative, until now.

New research shows that the American pika, the mountain-dwelling relative of the rabbit roughly half as big as a football, began rapidly fleeing lower elevations and dying off in the Great Basin region of the U.S. West a decade ago.

http://www.reuters.com/

This is utter nonsense. I lived and worked as a wilderness ranger at 12,000 feet 30 years ago, and never saw a Pika below 11,000 feet. They never lived at lower elevations.

Four day snow forecast for the Colorado River watershed.

The effect of additional CO2 decreases logarithmically, so we can expect an exponential increase in temperature after 2050.

You may be yearning for warmer days after what is shaping up to be one of the coldest Aprils in Western Washington’s history.
University of Washington Atmospheric Sciences Professor Cliff Mass told the Ross and Burbank Show the warming is coming. Global Warming, that is.

“The fact that we haven’t warmed up much doesn’t mean anything. The warming is coming, but it’s not going to be really significant until the second half of the century,” Mass said.

The professor said the warming trend is “sort of exponential; it starts slowly and then revs up at the end.”

http://mynorthwest.com/?nid=11&sid=471491

It seemed like it would never happen, but we are actually having a nice day in Colorado today. Long’s Peak in the background.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvuzeQZA9oA]

The sun was too bright and I couldn’t see the viewfinder, so I was just guessing what the camera was pointed at.

2011 has brought the worst US tornadoes and the worst Queensland floods since 1974. In 1974, CO2 was well below Hansen’s safe 350 ppm – so we can rule out CO2 as a cause. So what do 2011, 1974 (and 1955) have in common?

Continue reading →

The layers of the pdf file are consistent with scan software that goes through several steps of image processing. It is just a distraction.

The real issues (as I see it) are the validity of the original paper document, why it took so long to produce it, and why the governor couldn’t find it a few months ago.

Tue Apr 26, 2011

The US Department of the Interior says climate change will cut water flow in the west of the country causing water shortage for millions in the region.

According to a report released by the department on Monday, global warming will reduce water levels in several of the American West’s largest river basins by up to 20% this century, the state-funded BBC reported.

http://www.presstv.ir/detail/176742.html

April 10, 2011

It’s rare to see millions of gallons of water spilling out of a reservoir, especially in the West, where water is more precious than gold.

But the water was spilling from Pathfinder Reservoir, 45 miles southwest of Casper, Wyo., in June, because it couldn’t hold any more water.

The last time that happened was in 1984.

The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, which controls nine reservoirs in the North Platte River Basin, predicts it will happen again this summer.

The reason: too much snow in the Rockies. When it melts in late spring and early summer, reservoirs will be bursting at the seams.

“Wyoming is loaded with water. They have a lot of snowpack,” said Cory Steinke, civil engineer with the Central Nebraska Public Power and Irrigation District based in Holdrege.

http://journalstar.com/