Important Climate News

[TimberWolf]

Yes, but they also trap heat which is why it's warmer on a cloudy night. Although the net effect of increased albedo + greenhouse effect is apparently a cooling, and they have an effect on the effect of other greenhouse gases as well. I guess that's why they will need to update the models.

Cloud forcing - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Similar, everyday, effect with glass in greenhouses AFAIK. Glass let's through much of visible light's energy, but is less effective at passing infra-red, IIRC. Net result is that the greenhouse heats up.

[doodab]

clouds reflect the sunlight back into space, which is why it's colder on an overcast day.

Yes, but they also trap heat which is why it's warmer on a cloudy night. Although the net effect of increased albedo + greenhouse effect is apparently a cooling, and they have an effect on the effect of other greenhouse gases as well. I guess that's why they will need to update the models.

Cloud forcing - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[TimberWolf]

Water vapour is responsible for most of the greenhouse effect, and clouds have a much stronger effect than water vapour alone. So more clouds = stronger greenhouse effect.

Interesting property of water. Although are you sure it's not just because clouds have more water vapour than average air? I guess you are, because that was my original assumption that I was questioning!

[Spacecadet]

I noticed that the BBC kept this artice off the Front Page and out of the "pictured" science and environment articles and have already dropped it down to "other environmental stories":

BBC News - Cloud simulator tests climate models

Richard Black has also ignored it, possibly because it goes against one of his earlier articles:
BBC NEWS | Science & Environment | 'No Sun link' to climate change

[AtW]

It's Mass Drivers you should be worried about.

[Spacecadet]

Water vapour is responsible for most of the greenhouse effect, and clouds have a much stronger effect than water vapour alone. So more clouds = stronger greenhouse effect.

clouds reflect the sunlight back into space, which is why it's colder on an overcast day.

[doodab]

Presumably clouds are important because they reduce water content in the atmosphere, when it rains? Because clouds themselves, when they form, don't increase the amount of water vapour in the atmosphere as far as I see. Either that or denser accumulations of water vapour (clouds) are better at reflecting heat than the same quantity of water in a less condensed form (just plain water vapour).

Water vapour is responsible for most of the greenhouse effect, and clouds have a much stronger effect than water vapour alone. So more clouds = stronger greenhouse effect.

[TimberWolf]

Presumably clouds are important because they reduce water content in the atmosphere, when it rains? Because clouds themselves, when they form, don't increase the amount of water vapour in the atmosphere as far as I see. Either that or denser accumulations of water vapour (clouds) are better at reflecting heat than the same quantity of water in a less condensed form (just plain water vapour).

[Spacecadet]

Coming soon:

Global temperature drops
CO2 drops
Increase in arctic ice

They'll start taxing electric cars, wind turbines and solar panels for not doing enough to counter global cooling

[BlasterBates]

In the debate on cosmic rays the standard answer was always "there's still no results from the CLOUD experiment".

...as if to say the experiment has failed.

Excellent summary here:

CERN experiment confirms cosmic ray action « Calder's Updates

Listening to some, it's interesting how the science gets dumped went they don't agree with it.

Now of course the sun's gone quiet and behold:

NASA notes sea level is falling in press release – but calls it a “Pothole on Road to Higher Seas” | Watts Up With That?

Coming soon:

Global temperature drops
CO2 drops
Increase in arctic ice

[Spacecadet]

CERN: 'Climate models will need to be substantially revised' ? The Register