Global Warming Graphs
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After all, a picture is worth a thousand words and graphs present an easy way to examine and digest a set of statistics.
It's important to note that all statistics and the graphs are not created equal. Some graphs are made more sloppily than others. Some graphs are made from dubious statistics.
This page provides some of the more reliable global warming graphs found on the internet. It divides into two sections, long term global warming trends and short term global warming trends.
Long term climate data, known as Palaeoclimate Data, has improved, due in thanks mostly to ice core research.
NOAA's Palaeoclimate graphs are some of the best long term global warming graphs on the internet. They show temperature and and other weather data for a one thousand time year span, and longer in some instances.
Along with showing natural variability in global temperatures over time, the graphs also bring perspective on modern global warming issues. For example, the National Snow and Ice Data Center states, "The last time that scientists can say confidently that the Arctic was free of summertime ice was 125,000 years ago".
Given the fact that the world has experienced a series of warmer and colder periods over the past one thousand years, modern researchers can hypothesize about the reasons underlying current dramatic changes in arctic sea ice, compared to previous warming periods.
The Canadian Centre for Climate Modelling and Analysis also publishes long term global warming graphs, albeit their graphs cover prospective temperature, precipitation and soil changes in one hundred year increments. They are will worth a look.
In the shore term climate data category, The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is the international forum that collects and analyzes climate data.
They've published all of their data on line in graph form, from short term temperature changes to changes in greenhouse gas emissions and more. The sheer number of available graphs can be overwhelming, so it's best to start with the first set, entitle, IPCC AR4 Synthesis Report (SYR).
The University Corporation for Atmospheric Research, UCAR, also produces wonderful global warming graphics, which are very easy to understand for the general public.
© 2009 Patricia A. Michaels