"Climate models can’t explain 2023’s huge heat anomaly — we could be in uncharted territory
Taking into account all known factors, the planet warmed 0.2 °C more last year than climate scientists expected. More and better data are urgently needed."
Good piece in Nature this week by Gavin Schmidt covers the extremely anomalous temperatures in 2023, well before El Nino got started as well as the loss of #Antarctic#SeaIce and aerosols...
. @Ruth_Mottram and the conclusion is > More and better data are urgently needed< ?? it reminds me of “This calls for immediate discussion!” From “Life of Brian”
@becha hah, I don't disagree to some extent, but we will need to adapt to climate change and for that we do need to know exactly why this surge occurred, if it really was unforeseen and how likely it is to continue (or repeat).
@Ruth_Mottram Ruth, I don't think it was unforeseen - Think it was foreseen but it's not a nice message to receive so it was ignored... and I think the measured phenomena fit within certain worse scenarios :( (e.g. RCP 8.5)
@Npars01@Ruth_Mottram Yes, methane clathrates have been feared for many years. It's probably best not to think about it.
Climate scientists talk about tipping points because there are positive feedback mechanisms that we will trigger if we go beyond certain temperature points. Exactly where those points are is unknown because the problem is too complex for us to analyze completely today. But we know they're there. Clathrates is one of them.
What happens when clathrates at the bottom of the sea decompose? Will we reach that point?
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